>>THIS WEEK ON NEWSNIGHT, AN UNEVEN RECOVERY IN THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY.

AS DOMESTIC TRAVEL COMES BACK, COVID CONTINUES TO GROUND MANY INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS, CUTTING BENEFITS OR RAISING WAGES.

THE DEBATE OVER HOW TO SOLVE CENTRAL FLORIDA'S HIRING PROBLEMS.

AND HAS THE PANDEMIC EXPOSED OUR REGION'S NEED FOR A MORE DIVERSIFIED ECONOMY?

NEWSNIGHT STARTS NOW.

♪ MUSIC ♪ >>HELLO, I'M NANCY ALVAREZ AND WELCOME TO NEWSNIGHT WHERE WE TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THE BIG STORIES IMPACTING CENTRAL FLORIDA, AND HOW THEY AFFECT ALL OF US.

AND WE DO THIS EVERY WEEK BY BRINGING TOGETHER A TEAM OF JOURNALISTS FROM DIFFERENT LOCAL MEDIA OUTLETS FOR IN-DEPTH DISCUSSIONS ON THESE VERY IMPORTANT ISSUES.

JOINING US THIS WEEK, COMING BACK TO THE SHOW, CAROLINE GLENN, WHO COVERS THE ECONOMY FOR THE ORLANDO SENTINEL, AND MY FRIEND AND COLLEAGUE FROM WFTV CHANNEL 9, ALEXA LORENZO.

THANK YOU BOTH FOR BEING HERE WITH US.

MY COLLEAGUE, STEVE MORT, ONCE AGAIN IN THE STUDIO WITH ME TONIGHT.

AND FIRST TONIGHT, THE PATH TO RECOVERY FOR CENTRAL FLORIDA'S TOURISM INDUSTRY.

HOSPITALITY, WHICH RELIES HEAVILY ON CONSUMER CONFIDENCE HAS BEEN THE HARDEST HIT SECTOR OF ALL DURING THE PANDEMIC.

STEVE SPOKE THIS WEEK WITH DARRYL CRONK.

HE'S THE SENIOR DIRECTOR OF MARKET RESEARCH INSIGHTS AT VISIT ORLANDO.

THE CONVERSATION STARTED WITH WHERE THE TOURISM INDUSTRY STANDS RIGHT NOW.

>>WE BEGAN TO SEE IN LATE FEBRUARY, EARLY MARCH, SURVEYS OF TRAVELER SENTIMENT AND TRAVELER INTENTIONS BEGAN TO SHOW IMPROVEMENT.

AND THAT COINCIDED WITH THE IMPROVING SENSE OF SAFETY AND CONFIDENCE IN TRAVELERS BECAUSE OF THE VACCINE THAT THEY KNOW THEY CAN GET OUT AND TRAVEL SAFELY NOW, AND FEEL PROTECTED.

>>YEAH, WE'RE SEEING TRAFFIC PICKUP SUBSTANTIALLY AT FLORIDA'S AIRPORTS IN RECENT MONTHS.

THE AIRPORT CEO THINKS THAT TRAFFIC MAY RETURN TO PRE PANDEMIC LEVELS LATER THIS YEAR.

DO YOU EXPECT THE SAME FOR CENTRAL FLORIDA'S ATTRACTIONS?

>>I THINK THE ANSWER DEPENDS SOMEWHAT ON WHICH SEGMENT OF TRAVEL WE'RE LOOKING AT.

SO WE'LL START WITH OUR DOMESTIC LEISURE TRAVELER, AND THAT'S THE SEGMENT COMING BACK THE FASTEST AND THE STRONGEST.

NOW, THERE'S A COUPLE OF SEGMENTS THAT ARE RECOVERING A LITTLE SLOWER, THE GROUP SIDES.

SO CONVENTIONS AND GROUP MEETINGS, THAT'S BEEN SLOWER TO RECOVER.

WE'RE SEEING A SIGNIFICANT PICKUP IN ACTIVITY REALLY BEGINNING THIS MONTH AND THROUGH THE SECOND HALF OF THE YEAR, THAT GROUP ACTIVITIES BEGINNING TO REALLY SHOW SOME MOMENTUM.

AND THEN THE THIRD SEGMENT THAT'S GOING TO BE THE LONGEST TO RECOVER IS GOING TO BE INTERNATIONAL TRAVELER.

>>WELL, I'M GLAD YOU BROUGHT THAT UP.

INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL REMAINS AT A STANDSTILL, WITH SEVERE RESTRICTIONS IN PLACE ON KEY TRAVEL MARKETS TO ORLANDO, SUCH AS BRAZIL AND THE UK.

THE UK IS NOW INDICATING THAT ITS OWN ENTRY RESTRICTIONS FOR BRITAIN'S RETURNING FROM ABROAD WILL REMAIN IN PLACE FOR NOW.

WHAT ARE YOUR PROJECTIONS ON THAT GOING FORWARD?

AND CAN THE LOCAL ECONOMY AFFORD TO CONTINUE TO SEE THOSE RESTRICTIONS IN PLACE?

>>RIGHT.

INTERNATIONAL DOES REMAIN GREATLY CURTAIL DUE TO THE RESTRICTIONS IN PLACE.

AND IN THE SHORT TERM, WE COULD BE BACK TO SOME 2019 LEVELS THIS SUMMER, EVEN WITHOUT MUCH SUPPORT FROM THE INTERNATIONAL SIDE.

AND THAT HAS TO DO WITH THAT PENT-UP DEMAND FROM LAST YEAR.

BUT THAT IS A SHORT TERM SITUATION, THAT PENT-UP DEMAND WILL EVENTUALLY BE CONSUMED AND FULFILLED.

SO WE KNOW IN THE LONG RUN, WE NEED TO GET THE INTERNATIONAL VISITORS BACK.

THE UK APPEARS TO BE MOVING ALONG AHEAD OF THE OTHERS.

THAT COULD MEAN SOME FLIGHTS FROM THE UK RESUMING POSSIBLY IN AUGUST OR SEPTEMBER, CANADA MIGHT BE A LITTLE BEHIND THAT.

AND THEN BRAZIL IS THE ONE PROBABLY WITH THE LONGEST RECOVERY.

THEY'RE STILL DEALING WITH SOME PRETTY SEVERE OUTBREAK OF THE VIRUS AND SOME CHALLENGES.

SO REALISTICALLY IT'S PROBABLY 2022 BEFORE INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL REALLY BEGINS TO PICK UP AGAIN AND WITH SIGNIFICANT MOMENTUM.

>>AND OF COURSE WE SAW PRESIDENT BIDEN AND PRIME MINISTER JOHNSON ON THE G7 SIDELINES ANNOUNCE A TASK FORCE ON OPENING UP TRAVEL.

DOES THAT GIVE YOU ANY HOPE?

>>ABSOLUTELY.

IT'S ENCOURAGING.

HOPEFULLY THE TASK FORCE CAN MOVE QUICKLY.

WE TRUST THAT THE GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS IN CONJUNCTION WITH HEALTH OFFICIALS, THEY'RE GOING TO TAKE THE NECESSARY STEPS TO DO SO SAFELY.

SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO WELCOMING BACK OUR INTERNATIONAL GUEST AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, BUT KNOWING IT NEEDS TO BE DONE IN A SAFE INFORMED MANNER.

>>ALL RIGHT.

CAROLINE, WE'LL START WITH YOU FOR OUR DISCUSSION HERE.

VISIT ORLANDO, EXPRESSING OPTIMISM, BUT WITH THE UNKNOWNS AROUND NONESSENTIAL INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL, AND OF COURSE, THE COURSE OF THE PANDEMIC.

HOW IS THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY HANDLING ALL THIS UNCERTAINTY?

>>WELL, LIKE WAS SAID IN THAT INTERVIEW, IT DEPENDS WHAT SEGMENT YOU LOOK AT.

WHEN YOU DO LOOK AT THE THEME PARKS, THE THEME PARKS DO SEEM TO BE RECOVERING QUICKER THAN SOME PEOPLE HAD EXPECTED IN THE BEGINNING, EVEN.

A LOT OF THE THEME PARKS ARE REMOVING THEIR SOCIAL DISTANCING RULES AND WE'RE SEEING THAT THOSE LINES ARE STARTING TO FORM AGAIN.

UNIVERSAL JUST OPENED UP A NEW ROLLER COASTER THAT'S ATTRACTED A LOT OF BUZZ.SO THE THEME PARK SEGMENT OF THE ECONOMY SEEMS TO BE RECOVERING QUITE WELL.

BUT WHEN YOU DO LOOK AT THE HOTEL SIDE OF THINGS IN TERMS OF THE GROUP TRAVEL, THE INTERNATIONAL, THE BUSINESS TRAVEL THAT IS QUITE DOWN.

USUALLY GROUP TRAVEL ACCOUNTS FOR ABOUT 35% OF AVAILABLE ORLANDO HOTEL ROOMS.

IN MAY, THAT WAS DOWN TO 10%.

SO THE BIG MESSAGE HERE IS THAT IN TERMS OF THAT TYPE OF TRAVEL, IT IS EXPECTED THAT THAT MAY TAKE A FEW YEARS BECAUSE WE ARE SEEING A TOTAL SHIFT IN THE WAY THAT PEOPLE THINK ABOUT THEIR WORK.

PEOPLE MIGHT NOT BE TRAVELING AS MUCH FOR WORK, AND WORKING FROM HOME.

AND SO UNTIL WE SEE THOSE CONVENTIONS COMING BACK, AND A LOT OF THOSE INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS EVENTS COMING BACK, WE WON'T SEE THAT TRAVEL AS MUCH.

>>RIGHT.

AND ALEXA, WFTV HAS REPORTED ON DEMAND FOR VACCINES AT OIA FROM INTERNATIONAL TRAVELERS.

SO LET'S TALK MORE ABOUT THAT.

DO WE KNOW WHERE THAT DEMAND IS COMING FROM?

>>I'M GOING TO SAY SORT OF, BECAUSE THAT INFORMATION IS VOLUNTARY.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO SAY WHERE YOU'RE FROM WHEN YOU WANT TO GET A VACCINE HERE IN FLORIDA ANYMORE.

RIGHT NOW ORANGE COUNTY HEALTH OFFICER, DR. RAUL PINO SAYS YES, IT IS HAPPENING AND THE DATA IS THERE.

AND IT SEEMS THAT PEOPLE ARE PRIMARILY COMING FROM MEXICO, COLUMBIA, ECUADOR, CANADA, ARGENTINA, PERU, AND THE UK.

BUT AGAIN, HE DOESN'T THINK THAT DATA IS INCREDIBLY COMPLETE BECAUSE, AGAIN, IT IS VOLUNTARY.

AND WHEN PEOPLE HEAR ABOUT INTERNATIONAL TRAVELERS COMING TO GET VACCINES HERE, THEY MAY WONDER WHAT IF THEY BRING THE VIRUS IN WITH THEM?

DR. PINO SAYS HE'S NOT REALLY TOO CONCERNED ABOUT THAT BECAUSE THE CDC DOES REQUIRE TRAVELERS TO HAVE A NEGATIVE COVID-19 TEST UPON ENTERING.

SO HE THINKS THIS IS POSITIVE, THIS IS NOT A NEGATIVE.

WE WANT MORE PEOPLE ACROSS THE COUNTRY, ACROSS THE WORLD TO GET VACCINATED.

>>RIGHT.

AND WE'RE SEEING SO MANY EFFORTS UNDERWAY TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.

CAROLINE, TOURISM RECOVERING, OF COURSE, BUT MORE SLOWLY THAN OTHER SECTORS.

WHAT ARE ECONOMISTS YOU TALKED TO SAYING ABOUT A TIMELINE HERE FOR GETTING BACK TO THOSE PRE PANDEMIC LEVELS OF ACTIVITY THAT WE'RE ALL LONGING FOR?

>>IT HONESTLY STILL REALLY REMAINS TO BE SEEN.

THE PRESIDENT OF THE AMERICAN HOTEL & LODGING ASSOCIATION, WHEN HE SPOKE WITH US, CHIP ROGERS, HE SAID THAT UNTIL THAT INTERNATIONAL COMPONENT CAN COME BACK TO HOTELS, HE HONESTLY SEES THIS POSSIBLY STILL TAKING A FEW YEARS.

HE POINTED OUT TO US THAT WITHOUT THAT PIECE OF THE RECOVERY, HOTELS WILL STILL BE BADLY STRUGGLING.

AND IT HAS TO BE LOOKED AT AS A WHOLE.

NOW, WHEN WE DO LOOK AT PEOPLE GOING BACK TO LOCAL RESTAURANTS, PEOPLE GOING BACK TO THEME PARKS, PEOPLE LOOKING TO DO VACATIONS WITHIN FLORIDA, THAT SEEMS TO BE PICKING UP A LOT.

A LOT OF THE OIA TRAVEL HAS RETURNED, PEOPLE FLYING INTO THE AIRPORT FROM WITHIN THE US.

SO AGAIN, IT JUST REALLY DEPENDS WHAT SEGMENT OF THE TOURISM ECONOMY THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT.

IN TERMS OF THE THEME PARKS, LIKE I SAID, IT DOES LOOK TO BE MORE ACCELERATED THAN PEOPLE HAD EXPECTED IN THE BEGINNING.

ALL THAT PENT-UP DEMAND TO GET BACK TO GETTING TO HARRY POTTER WORLD, AND GETTING TO UNIVERSAL, AND GETTING TO DISNEY.

BUT IN TERMS OF THAT INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL, UNTIL THAT PIECE OF THE PUZZLE IS THERE AS WELL, THE ENTIRE TOURISM SECTOR CAN NOT RECOVER AS A WHOLE.

>>ALEXA, LET ME ASK YOU ABOUT CRUISES A MOMENT.

THE STATE WON A LEGAL BATTLE LAST WEEK, GETTING A PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION AGAINST THE CDC'S CONDITIONAL SALE ORDER.

WHAT HAPPENS NOW?

AND WHAT ARE YOU HEARING FROM CRUISE PASSENGERS ABOUT THE PROSPECTS OF A RETURN TO SAILING?

>>WE'LL START BY SAYING THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT FLORIDA GOVERNOR, RON DESANTIS HAS BEEN WORKING ON FOR A LONG TIME.

HE CALLED THIS A MAJOR VICTORY FOR HIM AND THE STATE.

THE FEDERAL JUDGE SAID THAT THE CDC CAN NO LONGER ENFORCE ITS RULES FOR COVID ERA SAILING AGAINST CRUISE SHIPS COMING OUT OF FLORIDA, STARTING JULY 18TH.

AND THIS WAS A LONG RULING THAT HE PUT OUT.

IT WAS UPWARDS OF 120 PAGES.

AND HE BASICALLY SAID THAT THE CONDITIONAL SAILING ORDER ON JULY 18TH WILL BECOME NON-BINDING.

IT'S MORE SO OF A GUIDANCE OR CONSIDERATION RECOMMENDATION FOR FLORIDA.

NOW, THE CDC CAN PROPOSE SOME SORT OF A NARROWER INJUNCTION BY JULY 2ND, AND THEN THE STATE HAS TO RESPOND TO THAT WITHIN SEVEN DAYS.

SO THIS IS STILL SOME SORT OF A WORK IN PROGRESS, A LOT OF THINGS HAPPENING BEHIND THE SCENES IN THE LEGAL WORLD.

AS FOR PASSENGERS, I ACTUALLY SPOKE WITH A COUPLE OUT OF CELEBRATION LAST WEEK WHO WANTED TO GO ON A CRUISE SO BADLY, THEY FLEW TO NASSAU IN THE BAHAMAS TO GET ON A ROYAL CARIBBEAN SHIP THAT WAS SAILING FROM THERE.

THEY SAID THEY LOVE CRUISES, THEY'RE CRUISE PEOPLE, AND THEY FELT SAFE.

THEY'RE VACCINATED, THEY TESTED NEGATIVE WHEN THEY GOT THERE, THEY SHOWED THEIR VACCINE CARD.

AND THEY REALLY WANTED TO DO IT.

AND THIS IS A MIXED BAG.

YOU HAVE PEOPLE THAT WANT TO GET ON A CRUISE AND ARE WILLING TO DO WHATEVER IT TAKES, AND YOU HAVE OTHERS THAT SAY, "HEY, I'M NOT READY, BUT HOPEFULLY THAT DAY WILL COME."

SO IT DEPENDS ON WHERE YOU FALL.

>>YEAH, THAT'S THAT PENT-UP DEMAND FOR SURE.

AND DON'T FORGET TO JOIN THIS DISCUSSION ON SOCIAL MEDIA, WE'RE AT WUCF TV ON FACEBOOK, TWITTER, AND ALSO ON INSTAGRAM.

ALL RIGHT, NEXT TONIGHT, THE ONGOING CHALLENGES IN OUR REGIONS LABOR MARKET AS IT EMERGES FROM THE PANDEMIC.

I SAT DOWN THIS WEEK WITH UCF ECONOMIST, SEAN SNAITH, AND I ASKED HIM WHAT IS CAUSING EMPLOYERS TO HAVE DIFFICULTY IN HIRING IN THE CURRENT ENVIRONMENT?

>>A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE DROPPED OUT OF THE LABOR FORCE, THAT WERE IN THE LABOR FORCE IN FEBRUARY OF 2020 THAT AREN'T THERE NOW.

WITH THE LOCKDOWNS, AT LEAST TEMPORARILY HERE IN FLORIDA AND SCHOOLS GOING VIRTUAL, THERE WERE PEOPLE THAT MIGHT'VE BEEN WORKING IN FEBRUARY THAT NOW HAD ALL THESE ADDITIONAL TASKS AS PRINCIPAL, AND TEACHER, AND GUIDANCE COUNSELOR.

BUT WE'VE HAD A SERIES OF STIMULUS CHECKS THAT HAVE GONE OUT, ADDITIONAL UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE PAYMENTS THAT WERE BEING MADE FEDERALLY.

SO I THINK AS THESE ADDITIONAL TYPES OF SUPPORT GO AWAY, WE'LL SEE PEOPLE BEGIN TO RE-ENTER THE LABOR FORCE.

>>BUT DOESN'T THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT ITSELF?

WE SEE MORE COMPANIES NOW VOLUNTARILY GETTING AHEAD OF THE VOTER APPROVED AMENDMENTS AND PAYING $15 AN HOUR.

>>MM-HMM (AFFIRMATIVE).

>>DON'T MORE BUSINESSES NEED TO BE DOING THIS?

>>WELL, AGAIN, IF YOU'RE WORKING PART-TIME IN A LOW SKILL JOB THERE'S REALLY NO REASON THAT THAT SHOULD BE PROVIDING INCOME THAT CAN SUSTAIN YOU 100%.

>>WHY NOT.

>>WELL, IT'S JUST ECONOMICS.

YOUR WAGES ARE DETERMINED BY THE VALUE OF WHAT YOU CAN PRODUCE.

NOW, AMENDMENT TWO, THESE ARE THE FOLKS THAT WERE HARDEST HIT BY THIS PANDEMIC.

IT WAS THE LOWEST INCOME HOUSEHOLDS, WORKERS IN LOWER SKILL JOBS THAT WERE LAID OFF, AND THAT STILL HAVE A VERY HIGH UNEMPLOYMENT RATE.

AND SO NOW WE'RE RAISING THE WAGE ON THE SERVICES OF THESE SAME PEOPLE, WHICH IS GOING TO MAKE IT MORE DIFFICULT FOR SOME OF THEM TO GET BACK IN THE WORKFORCE.

AND THIS IS ECON 101, IT'S THE LAW OF DEMAND.

>>BUT RIGHT NOW THAT'S NOT WHAT THE PROBLEM IS, RIGHT?

RIGHT NOW PEOPLE ARE NOT HAVING A PROBLEM GETTING JOBS, IT'S THE EMPLOYERS THAT ARE HAVING PROBLEMS HIRING.

>>AND SO YOU'RE RIGHT.

AND SOME OF THEM ARE OFFERING HIGHER WAGES.

YEAH, BUSINESSES HAVE TO ADJUST, BUT THAT'S THE MARKET CONDITION.

>>SO YOU DON'T THINK THAT FROM THIS PANDEMIC THERE IS GOING TO BE A FUNDAMENTAL CHANGE IN THE LABOR MARKET HERE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA?

YOU THINK THAT THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO BE LOW WAGE, THAT WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO HAVE EXACTLY THE SAME STRUCTURAL PROBLEMS WE ALWAYS HAD WITH WAGES, RELIANCE ON LOW PAID STAFF, AND UNEMPLOYMENT?

>>YEAH.

WELL, THERE WILL BE SOME LINGERING CHANGES, BUT I'M ALWAYS SKEPTICAL OF PREDICTIONS THAT TEMPORARY EVENTS RESULT IN PERMANENT CHANGES.

AND MAKE NO MISTAKE, COVID-19 IS A TEMPORARY EVENT.

AGAIN, MARKETS DETERMINE WAGES.

AND JOBS THAT REQUIRE LESS SKILL TEND TO HAVE LOWER PAY.

>>ALL RIGHT.

SO CAROLINE, LET'S PICK UP THERE.

THIS IS THIS DISCUSSION, ISN'T IT?

ABOUT WHETHER CUTTING BENEFITS OR RAISING WAGES ARE GOING TO BRING PEOPLE BACK INTO THE LABOR FORCE.

DO YOU GET A SENSE AS TO WHY THESE HIRING ISSUES THAT WE TALKED ABOUT LAST TIME ON THE SHOW ARE CONTINUING, AND WHETHER THEY'RE LIKELY TO LAST, PUSHING WAGES HIGHER IN THE LONG TERM?

SEAN SNAITH DOESN'T THINK SO.

>>HONESTLY, I THINK THAT A LOT OF THE WORKERS WHO WORK FOR THESE LOW WAGE INDUSTRIES AND THAT WERE INVOLVED IN THE AMENDMENT TWO PUSH WOULD PROBABLY TAKE A LOT OF ISSUE WITH WHAT SEAN SNAITH HAD TO SAY THERE.

THAT A LOW SKILLED ENTRY LEVEL JOB DOESN'T NEED TO BE ABLE TO SUSTAIN YOU A 100%.

I THINK THAT'S THE ENTIRE CONVERSATION THAT'S GOING ON RIGHT NOW, THIS DEBATE ABOUT A JOB BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE ENOUGH FOR YOU TO LIVE A LIFE.

IF CENTRAL FLORIDA DOES NOT ADDRESS THESE ISSUES, WE WILL CONTINUE TO SEE THE SAME EXACT PROBLEMS WITH AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AND PUBLIC TRANSIT, AND ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE, AND ACCESS TO EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE'VE SEEN FOR YEARS.

AND I HEAR HIS POINT THAT THE PANDEMIC IS A TEMPORARY EVENT, BUT THIS WAS A BIG SHIFT IN PEOPLE'S LIVES, AND MINDSETS, AND THINKING.

SO EVEN THOUGH THE PANDEMIC ITSELF MAY HAVE ONLY LASTED ABOUT A YEAR, YEAR AND A HALF, I DO THINK IT HAS FUNDAMENTALLY SHIFTED THE WAY THAT THESE WORKERS VIEW THEMSELVES AND THE WORK THAT THEY DO.

IT'S ALSO WORTH NOTING THAT A LOT OF THESE COMPANIES AND INDUSTRIES THAT ARE NOW HAVING TROUBLE HIRING WERE THE SAME COMPANIES THAT DID MASS LAYOFFS AND MASS FURLOUGHS, AND IN SOME CASES DID NOT BRING BACK THEIR LAID OFF WORKERS.

WE DID A LOT OF REPORTING ABOUT HMS HOST AT THE ORLANDO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT THAT AT FIRST DID NOT WANT TO BRING BACK ITS LAID OFF WORKERS, AND INSTEAD, WANTED TO REPLACE THEM WITH NEW HIRES.

A LOT OF THE WORKERS TOOK A LOT OF ISSUE WITH THAT, SAYING THAT THEY WERE ALREADY TRAINED, THEY ALREADY KNEW THE BUSINESS.

THEY COULD COME BACK IN AND HIT THE GROUND RUNNING.

SO I THINK THAT THERE IS A BIG RECKONING GOING ON AROUND THE PAY AND THE TREATMENT OF THESE WORKERS.

AND A LOT OF THE COMPANIES ARE RESPONDING BY RAISING THEIR WAGES.

WE'RE SEEING THE THEME PARKS DOING THAT, WE'RE SEEING MOM AND POP RESTAURANTS DOING THAT, AND WE'RE SEEING CORPORATIONS DO THAT.

AND TO SEAN SNAITH'S POINT, THERE OBVIOUSLY IS SOME ECONOMICS 101, SUPPLY AND DEMAND HERE, AND THE BASICS OF COMPETITION.

AND IF SOME OF THESE EMPLOYERS AND BUSINESS INDUSTRY GROUPS BELIEVE THAT ENHANCED UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS ARE ENOUGH TO KEEP THEIR WORKERS FROM COMING BACK, THE VERY NATURE OF ECONOMICS WOULD BE THAT YOU NEED TO BE ABLE TO COMPETE WITH THOSE UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS.

>>SO CAROLINE, LOW WAGE WORKERS CONTINUE TO SEE HIGHER RATES OF UNEMPLOYMENT AS WE KNOW, BUT THE STATE IS MAKING CUTS TO THE AGENCY THAT HANDLES THOSE CLAIMS.

IT'S ANOTHER BIG PART OF THIS STORY.

WHAT IS HAPPENING AT THE DEO, AND WHAT DIFFERENCE IS IT MAKING TO THOSE SEEKING BENEFITS?

>>YEAH.

A FEW WEEKS AGO WE LEARNED THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY HAD OFFICIALLY CUT TIES WITH MOST ALL OF THE THIRD-PARTY CALL CENTERS THAT IT HAD BROUGHT ON DURING THE PANDEMIC.

BECAUSE AS YOU'LL REMEMBER, THE DEO WAS FLOODED WITH CALLS FROM LAID OFF WORKERS WHO NEEDED HELP, WHO WERE STRUGGLING TO GET THROUGH THE CONNECT SYSTEM.

NOW, TO BE FAIR, A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE SAID THAT THESE CALL CENTERS WERE NOT EXACTLY THE MOST HELPFUL.

A LOT OF THE CALL REPS WERE NOT ROBUSTLY TRAINED IN HOW TO HANDLE VERY COMPLEX ISSUES BEYOND HELPING YOU RESET YOUR PASSWORD OR A VERY SIMPLE QUESTION.

BUT SOME OF THE FOLKS THAT I TALKED TO SAID THAT THEY AT LEAST FELT HEARD WHEN THEY WERE ABLE TO GET THROUGH TO A CALL CENTER REP. AND WHAT I'M HEARING NOW, I WAS JUST SPEAKING WITH REPRESENTATIVE, ANNA ESKAMANI ABOUT THIS AND I'VE BEEN TALKING WITH VANESSA BRITTO OUT IN MIAMI, WHO HAS BEEN HELPING PEOPLE ACCESS THEIR BENEFITS, IS THAT NOW PEOPLE JUST FEEL LIKE THEY ARE NOT HEARD, THEY CAN NOT GET THROUGH TO ANYONE ANYMORE.

AND SO IT PRESENTS A REAL PROBLEM BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH A LOT OF WORKERS HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GET BACK TO THEIR JOBS, THERE ARE STILL THOUSANDS OF CLAIMS THAT POUR INTO THE DEO EVERY WEEK.

AND THERE ARE STILL COUNTLESS NUMBERS OF WORKERS WHO ARE OWED BENEFITS, WHO NEVER RECEIVED BENEFITS, AND HAVE BEEN WAITING MONTHS FOR THEIR UNEMPLOYMENT CHECKS.

>>YEAH.

AND ALEXA, SEAN SNAITH MENTIONED SOME BENEFITS ARE GOING AWAY, RIGHT?

FLORIDIANS WILL LOSE THE ADDITIONAL $300 IN FEDERAL UNEMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE STARTING THIS WEEKEND.

WHAT DOES THAT LEAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE STILL CLAIMING UNEMPLOYMENT WITH?

>>IT LEAVES PEOPLE HERE IN FLORIDA WITH $275 PER WEEK.

AND LOSING THAT $300 FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS SET TO EFFECT MORE THAN 2.3 MILLION FLORIDIANS.

SO THIS IS GOING TO REALLY IMPACT A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA, BECAUSE AS WE KNOW, WE'RE SO POPULATED WITH THAT GROUP THAT WE WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT THAT IS FACING THOSE UNEMPLOYMENT STRUGGLES.

SO NOW THAT WE ARE GOING TO SEE THAT FEDERAL DOLLAR GO AWAY, WE'RE JUST ONE OF, AT LEAST FROM WHAT I COUNTED, TWO DOZEN STATES ENDING THIS PARTNERSHIP WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FOR THE FEDERAL BENEFITS.

>>THAT, AGAIN, IS SLATED TO EXPIRE IN SEPTEMBER.

SO THIS IS GOVERNOR RON DESANTIS AND THE STATE SAYING, "WE'RE GOING TO CUT IT EARLY AND HOPE THAT IT BRINGS PEOPLE BACK TO WORK."

THAT'S THE ARGUMENT THAT THEY HAVE LAID OUT, BUT THERE ARE OTHER PEOPLE WHO SAY THAT'S NOT THE ISSUE, IT'S WAGES.

THIS IS AN ARGUMENT THAT YOU WILL FIND DIFFERENT REASONINGS FOR DEPENDING ON WHO YOU GO TO, AND REALLY WHEN YOU GO TO THEM TOO.

>>YEAH, NO DOUBT ABOUT THAT.

AND YOU CAN HEAR MUCH MORE OF ALL THE INTERVIEWS ON TONIGHT'S PROGRAM ON OUR WEBSITE AT WUCF.ORG/NEWSNIGHT.

ALL RIGHT.

FINALLY TONIGHT, A REPORT, THIS MONTH FROM UCLA, SHOWS BIG STATES WITH MORE STRINGENT COVID MEASURES TENDED TO POSE BETTER ECONOMIC GROWTH NUMBERS LAST YEAR THAN STATES LIKE FLORIDA, WITH FEWER RESTRICTIONS.

AND A STUDY OUT THIS WEEK SHOWS FLORIDA RANKS JUST 37TH IN THE COUNTRY WHEN IT COMES TO PANDEMIC RECOVERY, INCLUDING FACTORS SUCH AS THE JOB MARKET THAT WE WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT, AND CONSUMER CONFIDENCE.

YOU CAN FIND A LINK TO THAT STUDY, BY THE WAY, ON OUR WEBSITE.

ACCORDING TO US GOVERNMENT FIGURES, FLORIDA WAS ONE OF THE TOP PERFORMING ECONOMIES IN THE PANDEMIC, BUT SEVERAL MORE DIVERSIFIED ECONOMIES DID BETTER ON GROWTH, EXCUSE ME, EVEN WITH TIGHTER LOCKDOWNS.

NOW, I ASKED PHOEBE FLEMING FROM THE ORLANDO ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP WHETHER SHE THINKS THAT COVID RECOVERY PRESSES THE CASE FOR DIVERSIFICATION.

>>WHAT I THINK THIS PANDEMIC HAS REALLY BROUGHT ABOUT IS MORE A NEED TO PRESS THE IMPORTANCE OF WORKFORCE UP SCALING AND RESCALING.

SO DIVERSIFICATION IS IN THERE, THAT'S A HUGE PIECE OF IT.

BUT BEING ABLE TO TALK ABOUT, HAVE WORKERS TRANSITION AND CREATE THOSE CAREER LADDERS, NO MATTER WHAT THE INDUSTRY IS, THIS IS NOT ONE INDUSTRY AGAINST ANOTHER, WHAT WE PREFER VERSUS ANOTHER.

WE NEED SYSTEMS THAT HELP PEOPLE WHO WERE IN THOSE LOW WAGE JOBS BEFORE FIND A NEW CAREER PATHWAY OR HAVE EASIER ACCESS TO UP SCALING OPPORTUNITIES.

AND THAT'S HAPPENING ACROSS THE COUNTRY EVEN AS WE THINK ABOUT, IN BROADER TERMS, WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE EFFECTS OR THREATS OF AUTOMATION TO THE WORKFORCE.

SO THAT'S REALLY WHERE I'M HOPING THAT WE SEE MUCH MORE FOCUS MOVING FORWARD.

>>IF YOU LOOK AT RECENT FIGURES FROM THE BUREAU OF ECONOMIC ANALYSIS, AMONG THE TOP PERFORMANCE DURING THE PANDEMIC WERE LARGE STATES WITH MORE DIVERSIFIED ECONOMIES.

CALIFORNIA DID BETTER THAN WE DID, WASHINGTON DID BETTER THAN WHAT YOU DID, NORTH CAROLINA DID BETTER THAN WE DID.

DO WE NEED TO BE DOING MORE, DO YOU THINK?

>>I THINK WHAT THAT TELLS US, THOSE NUMBERS FROM THE BEA, THE BUREAU OF ECONOMIC ANALYSIS ARE BASED ON GDP.

THAT'S A GDP ESTIMATE FOR THE ENTIRE- >>THAT'S A GOOD MEASUREMENT, RIGHT?

>>WELL, THAT'S WHERE WE KIND OF GET INTO THE PARTNERSHIP'S GOAL OF ADVANCING BROAD-BASED PROSPERITY, BEING MORE THAN JUST GROWTH OVERALL OR JUST ECONOMIC GROWTH FOR THAT SAKE.

BECAUSE WE SAW WITHIN THE LAST 10 YEARS, THE LONGEST ECONOMIC EXPANSION IN OUR COUNTRY'S HISTORY BEFORE THIS RECESSION AND THE PERCENTAGE OF HOUSEHOLDS IN THE REGION WHO WERE STRUGGLING TO GET BY LIVING PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK ALSO INCREASED.

>>SO THERE'S SOMETHING HAPPENING THERE, THAT FRICTION, THAT IT'S NOT JUST GROWTH FOR GROWTH'S SAKE.

AND SO I THINK WHAT THOSE NUMBERS THAT YOU'RE REFERENCING SHOW US IS THAT WE REALLY NEED TO EXPAND THAT VIEW INTO MORE THAN JUST GROWTH, BUT ALSO THINK ABOUT THE CAPABILITIES OF OUR WORKFORCE, AND CAN THEY REALLY ACCESS THOSE JOBS?

>>ARE WE SET TO HAVE HOSPITALITY CONTINUE TO BE SO DOMINANT?

ARE WE STILL GOING TO BE A HOSPITALITY DOMINATED TOWN IN 10 YEARS, 20 YEARS?

>>I REALLY DON'T KNOW THAT.

I COULD SAY LOOKING FORWARD, I THINK WE'RE POISED IN ORLANDO TO BE A HUB FOR SO MUCH MORE, BUT REALLY BUILDING OFF OF THOSE ASSETS THAT TOURISM, AND LEISURE, AND HOSPITALITY HAVE BROUGHT HERE.

SO WE'RE POISED TO REALLY BRING IN CONSULTING FIRMS, TECHNOLOGY FIRMS WHO ARE NOW EXPLORING THIS NEW CONCEPT OF HOW DO WE HAVE A SINGLE HUB LOCATION WHERE IT'S EASY FOR EMPLOYEES TO COME IN FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO ACCESS OR OUR WORKFORCE IS MAYBE SPREAD OUT ACROSS FLORIDA.

>>SO OUR PROJECT MANAGERS ARE EXTREMELY BUSY RIGHT NOW, WORKING ALL KINDS OF PROJECTS OUTSIDE OF THE LEISURE AND HOSPITALITY SPACE, BUT STILL SELLING THOSE SAME ASSETS THAT REALLY MAKE ORLANDO A GREAT PLACE TO VISIT AS WELL.

SO IT'S NOT REALLY AN EITHER OR, BUT I THINK WE'LL SEE KIND OF AN AND ECONOMY MOVING FORWARD.

>>WELL, CAROLINE, WE TALK ABOUT ECONOMIC DIVERSIFICATION A LOT IN THIS REGION AND WE HAVE DONE IT FOR YEARS AS FAR BACK AS I CAN REMEMBER.

BUT IS THERE A REALLY GOOD MEASURE FOR WHETHER THE ECONOMY IS ACTUALLY MORE DIVERSE NOW THAN IN THE PAST?

>>JUST RECENTLY THE ORLANDO ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP WHERE PHOEBE IS FROM, AS YOU GUYS NOTED, CAME OUT WITH AN ORLANDO PROSPERITY SCORECARD THAT SEEKS TO LOOK AT THIS.

FROM WHAT THEY FOUND, COMPARED TO THE TYPICAL US METRO, ORLANDO IS ABOUT 58% AS DIVERSE AS THAT, WHICH RANKS LOW AMONG THE METROS IN THE US.

SO IT INDICATES THAT IT'S NOT AS DIVERSE AS IT CAN BE.

AND THAT DEFINITELY IS SOMETHING THAT IS A FOCUS IN ORLANDO AND IN ORANGE COUNTY.

THERE ARE SEVERAL INCENTIVE PROGRAMS THAT ARE SET UP BY THE CITIES AND THE COUNTIES TO TRY TO ATTRACT THOSE HIGH PAYING JOBS.

BUT I HAVE TALKED WITH JEREMY HENKIN OVER AT UNITE HERE, THE HOSPITALITY UNION GROUP THAT REPRESENTS DISNEY EMPLOYEES AND HOTEL WORKERS ABOUT THIS.

AND ONE THING HE HAS EMPHASIZED TO ME IS THAT IN THIS CONVERSATION ABOUT DIVERSIFYING THE ECONOMY, YES, WE WANT HIGHER PAYING JOBS, WE WANT THERE TO BE A VARIETY OF JOBS, BUT HE SAID THAT HE ALSO WANTS PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THAT EVEN PEOPLE IN A LOWER PAYING JOB STILL DESERVE THOSE SAME BENEFITS, THOSE SAME RIGHTS, AND THOSE SAME OPPORTUNITIES TO MOVE UP.

SO IT'S NOT NECESSARILY JUST FOCUSING ON HIGHER WAGE JOBS, IT'S FOCUSING ON THE ECONOMY AS A WHOLE.

>>YEAH.

AND ALEXA, PHOEBE FLEMING THERE FROM THE ORLANDO ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP TOLD ME THAT DEMOGRAPHIC DIVERSITY IS ALSO AN IMPORTANT PART OF ATTRACTING NEW INDUSTRIES SEEKING A DIVERSE WORKFORCE.

IT SAYS ONE IN NINE ORLANDO RESIDENTS MOVED HERE SINCE 2010, HALF OF THEM FROM ANOTHER COUNTRY.

DO WE KNOW WHAT'S DRIVING THAT DEMOGRAPHIC SHIFT?

>>OPPORTUNITY.

OPPORTUNITY OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

AND PHOEBE'S TEAM OVER AT THE ORLANDO ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP HAS BEEN WORKING FOR YEARS TO MAKE, NOT JUST ORLANDO, BUT THAT 7-COUNTY REGION, A PLACE WHERE EQUAL ACCESS IS AVAILABLE TO RESOURCES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR EVERYONE WHO COMES HERE.

AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT COMPANIES COMING IN.

THAT ART TOURISM, ART HOSPITALITY, THOSE HIGH PAYING JOBS COMING IN.

AND WE SAW THAT, WE JUST SAW KPMG.

>>KPMG, THE TAX AND ADVISORY FIRM ANNOUNCED THEY'RE OPENING UP.

THEY WANT TO BRING 350 PEOPLE TO WORK IN THAT HUB.

THEY WANT A DIVERSE AND INCLUSIVE WORKFORCE, AND YOU'RE GOING TO FIND THAT HERE IN ORLANDO.

YOU SEE IT, YOU KNOW IT WHEN YOU WALK DOWN THE STREET.

THIS IS A PLACE OF DIVERSITY, INCLUSIVITY, AND OPPORTUNITY.

>>YEAH.

AND ALEXA, YOU AND I KNOW THAT FIRSTHAND, COVERING THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY AS MUCH AS WE DO.

THAT IS A HUGE ASPECT OF WHAT YOU JUST DESCRIBED.

AND BOY, WE COULD HAVE TALKED ABOUT THIS FOR ANOTHER HOUR, BUT THAT IS ALL THE TIME WE HAVE FOR THIS WEEK.

MY THANKS TO CAROLINE GLENN FROM THE ORLANDO SENTINEL AND MY FRIEND, ALEXA LORENZO FROM WFTV CHANNEL 9, ALWAYS GREAT TO HAVE BOTH OF YOU ON.

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT FRIDAY NIGHT AT 08:30, RIGHT HERE ON WUCF.

FROM ALL OF US HERE AT NEWSNIGHT, HAVE A GOOD AND SAFE WEEKEND.

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK.