Tourism could feel the brunt of the shutdown

“The impact this time will be worrisome since the hospitality industry just started recovering from the pandemic,” says Virginia Tech tourism and hospitality expert Mahmood Khan. The first and greatest impact of the government shutdown will be felt in the Washington D.C. area. “Restaurant operators expect to lose 60% of their business based on estimates from earlier shutdowns.” Similar impact will be felt by hotels and lodging businesses. When it comes to air travel, Khan says it may not get affected directly, but increased demand and airport lines will create a lot of problems for the operators and frustrations for the passengers.