U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Geoff Freeman issued the following statement on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics February employment report, in which leisure and hospitality jobs grew by 105,000 and the total economy added 311,000 jobs:

“Despite strong job growth, a staggering 1.7 million leisure and hospitality jobs are open—a concerning figure as we head into the peak summer travel season. Travel is essential to our nation’s economy, but its success is reliant on access to workers to serve the traveling public.

“One way the federal government should address our workforce shortage is to increase the allotment of H-2B visas, which is at least 100,000 short of demand, to provide the industry with the temporary workers it so desperately needs.”

The U.S. leisure and hospitality sector in February continued its recovery from the pandemic, according to a report from the U.S. Labor Department on Friday.

Government surveyors estimated that U.S. businesses created 311,000 jobs in February. About 14,000 of those jobs were in travel accommodation, mainly hotels. That was down slightly from a 15,000 reported gain for hotels last month.

On the one hand, many U.S.-based hotel groups reported in February hotel earnings calls that they feel broadly back at their full labor quotas, with labor gaps no longer a pressing issue.

On the other hand, 1.7 million leisure and hospitality jobs are open.

The national unemployment rate was estimated at 3.6 percent. On the plus side, low unemployment can fuel travel spending.