Yesterday’s Daily Data Discussion post took a look at markets around the country with the highest percentage of total employment in the leisure and hospitality supersector.  Today we’ll take a look at the markets with the lowest percentage of employment in this supersector. 

Sorry, couldn’t resist the beach resort picture today - it’s snowing (for the second time this season already) in Bozeman this morning. 

Several thinking folks emailed in questions yesterday related to the day’s post; basically they were asking the same question – has the economic downturn impacted the leisure and hospitality supersector employment radically this summer and fall? 

There is always a seasonal downtown in leisure and hospitality employment when the summer ends and again in the fall.  By our data there was a slight decrease in overall employment in the leisure and hospitality sector this past summer season as compared to 2007, though not by much.  Nevada and Florida (who’s surprised here) have seen the greatest downturns in leisure and hospitality sector employment during the second and third quarters this year as compared to years prior – but the regional economies in both of those states have been in the cellar for some months now. 

Experts in the leisure and hospitality field we spoke with on Friday suggested to us that if the recession does blossom in the fourth quarter of 2008 or first quarter of 2009 as many expect – leisure and hospitality employment during the peak season next summer and fall may be impacted much more significantly. 

Here are the markets in our database as of today with the lowest percentage of total employment in the leisure and hospitality supersector –

1)  Jacksonville, NC  1.5%
2)  Trenton, NJ   5.8%
3)  Topeka, KS   6.9%
4)  Gainesville, GA  7%
5)  Albany, NY   7%

Database Average:  10.3%
Database Median:  9.8%

Tomorrow we’ll take a look at markets around the country with the highest 2008 Milken Best City rankings for large cities. 

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