1. What steps has the Rhode Island Hospitality Association taken to help restaurants stay on their feet during the pandemic? We have provided a daily briefing with updates to members and nonmembers … and hosted virtual meetings with local officials, federal delegation and the Small Business Administration. We have reached out to the industry [by] offering free memberships to nonmembers [and] waive membership fees to our members who are suffering economic hardship. We launched a variety of free trainings and access to reopening protocols and launched the R.I. Hospitality Relief Fund to help those employees facing financial hardship.
2. What are the association’s projections for the immediate future of the industry in Rhode Island in terms of permanent closures, permanent job losses? It’s too early to determine what the long-term effects of COVID-19 on the industry will be. We are anticipating some businesses permanently closing their doors, while others will be forced to change their business model. Our industry employs over 87,000 Rhode Islanders. We simply cannot afford to not recover.
3. In what ways will this crisis change the hospitality industry? The way we offer hospitality may have temporarily changed, but our industry is still operating as the heart of our communities. Despite facing unfathomable personal loss during this time, the restaurant industry banded together to provide hundreds of free meals to front-line workers at local hospitals, police and fire departments.
4. What are the biggest concerns you’re hearing from RIHA members as Rhode Island moves through the phases of reopening? What we are hearing is geared around three central themes. There are not enough employees available to adequately staff open establishments because of unpredictability of the virus and government restrictions. It is nearly impossible to plan ahead, and 85% of restaurant operators say it is unlikely that their restaurant will be profitable [within] the next six months unless there is additional relief packages from the federal government.
5. How does the industry convince more customers that it’s safe to resume dining out and staying at Rhode Island hotels? We created the Restaurant Pledge and the Hotel Safe Stay Pledge with our national partners to assure our patrons of our commitment to their safety. We partnered with [R.I.] Commerce Corp., R.I. Department of Health and R.I. Department of Business Regulation to ensure the safest practices are in place to limit the spread of COVID-19 and to help protect our valued guests and employees.
Alexa Gagosz is a PBN staff writer. Contact her at Gagosz@PBN.com.
