SCRANTON, Pa. — Guests entering through the doors into the lobby of the Hilton hotel - there's no better sight for the staff here in Scranton.
"COVID has hit our industry more than any other industry most dramatically," said Robert Trotta.
Robert Trotta is the general manager at the Hilton.
He's watching the place bounce back after losing a ton of business during the pandemic.
"A lot of last-minute stuff, a lot of last-minute parties; weddings seem to be booking more for 2023," added Trotta.
But even though the guests are coming back, the staff and supplies are not, or at least not as quickly.
"And as you sit there and see this light at the end of the tunnel, all of a sudden, something else knocks you back," said Trotta. "It seems like you get people who say they want to work, apply for the job, you schedule interviews, and they just don't show up."
That means other staff members, including Trotta himself. have to jump in to help clean rooms, or do dishes.
They may even make a trip to Walmart to buy travel-sized shampoos when there's a supply shortage.
"We had an event this weekend that wanted a particular brand of liquor, and the liquor store would only give us two bottles. So we went there seven days straight to get two bottles," explained Trotta.
Slowly but surely, the hospitality industry is getting back on track.
Trotta says he expects the growth to continue in 2022, getting the hotel closer to pre-pandemic numbers.
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