Ngabantu baseMelika abangaphezu kwezigidi ezingama-300 abangaphansi kwama-oda wokuhlala ekhaya ukusiza ukunciphisa ukusabalala kwe Covid-19, abaningi manje kudingeka basebenze ekhaya futhi bagweme konke ukuhamba kwebhizinisi okungabalulekile. Esikhathini esingamaviki, izinkulungwane zezingqungquthela, imihlangano emikhulu, imibukiso yezohwebo neminye imicimbi yebhizinisi yobuso nobuso ihlehlisiwe noma ikhanseliwe. Izilinganiso zakamuva ezivela ku-US Travel Association and Tourism Economics, inkampani ye-Oxford Economics, zibikezela umthelela ongakaze ubonwe emihlanganweni nasembonini yezokuvakasha, ebhekene nokulahlekelwa okuphindwe kasikhombisa kuno-9/11 ngenxa yalolu bhubhane.

Inhlolovo entsha iphakamisa ukuthi abasebenzi baseMelika - ikakhulukazi labo abebehambele imihlangano mathupha nezingqungquthela ngaphambi kwalolu bhubhane - bamagange ukubuyela kubo uma i-COVID-19 iqukethwe futhi nezinqubomgomo zokuqhelelana ngokomzimba azisadingeki.

"Imiphakathi kulo lonke elase-US ihlaselwe kanzima ngenxa yobhubhane lwe-COVID-19 futhi asiwuthathi kalula umthelela wale nkinga," kusho uFred Dixon, uMongameli kanye ne-CEO ye-NYC & Company futhi ongusihlalo we-Meetings Mean Business Coalition. (MMBC). “Kodwa-ke, kuyakhuthaza ukubona ukuthi ama-83% abantu baseMelika njengamanje abaphoqeleka ukuthi basebenze ekhaya bathi bayaphuthelwa ukuya emihlanganweni nemihlangano emikhulu. Okubalulekile, ama-78% athi ahlela ukuya abaningi noma ngaphezulu lapho usongo lwe-COVID-19 ludlula futhi kuphephile ukwenza lokho. ”

Njengoba abenzi bomthetho bedingida izinhlinzeko zomthethosivivinywa omusha wokubuyiselwa kweSigaba IV, uDixon wengeze ngokuthi ucwaningo luthumela umyalezo obucayi kubaphathi bezomthetho kanye nezikhulu zezokuphatha njengoba bebheka izindlela zokuletha impumuzo kubantu baseMelika abayizigidi eziyi-5.9 abamisebenzi yabo esekelwa imihlangano nezingqungquthela.

Lapho bebuzwa ukuthi izikhungo zomhlangano nezindawo zemicimbi kufanele zifanelekele yini ukwesekwa nokuxhaswa ngezimali yinhlangano, ama-49% abantu baseMelika bavuma futhi bangu-14% kuphela abangazange bavumelane - kungakhathaliseki ukuthi bake bahambela imihlangano yomuntu siqu nezingqungquthela njengengxenye yemisebenzi yabo, noma cha. Iphesenti abavumile licishe lilingane nezinye izimboni ezithembele ezintweni ezenziwa mathupha, njengemboni yezokudlela (usekelo olungamaphesenti angama-53); imisebenzi yomuntu siqu njengabagundi nezindawo zokucwala izinwele (44%); kanye nezitolo zegrosa (43%).

"Ngisho noma imihlangano ikhanseliwe nokuhamba kwezamabhizinisi kuhlehliswa, lolu cwaningo lufakazela lokho abaningi bethu osekunesikhathi eside besola ukuthi kuyiqiniso," kusho uTrina Camacho-London, iPhini Likamongameli weGlobal Group Sales eHyatt Hotels Corporation kanye nosihlalo obambisene neMMBC. “Isipiliyoni sethu esihlangene sokuhambela kude ngokomzimba kusenza silangazelele usuku lapho singaphinde sihlangane futhi sihlangane mathupha. Lokho kuyinkomba enamandla hhayi kuphela yezinhloso zabathengi, kodwa futhi nenani lemboni yethu kubantu, amabhizinisi nasemiphakathini.”

Ngokusho kukaCamacho-London, imboni, eholwa yiMMBC, izibophezele ekusizeni ochwepheshe bemihlangano nemicimbi ukuthi babhekane nale nkinga futhi "babuye ngamandla."

“Njengoba sivaleleke nezinhlangano emhlabeni wonke, siphishekela wonke amathuba ukuletha usizo kwezomnotho futhi sikhuthaze abameli bemboni ukuthi baqhubeke nezenzo zasendaweni zesevisi - kusukela ekunikeleni ngokudla nezinsiza zezempilo ukuya endaweni yenkundla kanye nemali yezinhlangano ezizinze emphakathini. Kulezi zikhathi eziyinselele, asikho isenzo esincane kakhulu. Sinxusa wonke umuntu okwaziyo ukuzibophezela ekuthatheni izinyathelo, ukwabelana ngolwazi kanye nokuthuthukisa imikhuba emihle.”