KISSIMMEE, Fla. — Supply-chain issues aren’t going away. In fact, they are causing issues in places you might not expect.

Supply-chain concerns are impacting operations at 86% of hotels across the United States, a recent survey of the American Hotel and Lodging Association indicated.

Hotel staples such as linens, cleaning supplies, food and beverages are difficult for hotel owners to find right now, according to executives in the hospitality industry, the bread and butter of the Central Florida economy. 

For Seasons Florida Resort hotel owner Peter Sharma, 2021 has nearly been as bad as 2020.

Sharma does it all at his Kissimmee hotel right now, but he’s a bit limited with what he can do because of supply-chain issues.

“Restaurant Depot — if you go there, half the things aren’t available,” said Sharma as he stood in front of his hotel bar, where the shelves are empty. “We go to Sam’s Club, a lot of the stuff isn’t available.”

Even in his kitchen, not much is available. More than 75% of hotels surveyed said they have had supply-chain disruptions with food and beverage products.

Even for linens, the hotel owner has had some wrinkles to his shopping list. He said he is having a tough time finding a complete set of towels from the same brand, in the same pattern.

“I have to have the same thing in every room,” Sharma said. “I can’t just pick up something from Walmart just to cover a thing. We are trying to run a hotel. You have to have the stuff, whether you like it or not."

When the COVID-19 pandemic began, the Seasons Florida Resort was forced to close for 13 months. Before COVID, Sharma’s hotel would do about $2 million a year in business, Sharma said. Now, he’s barely making $50,000 a month, or about $600,000 per year, he said.

Even cleaning supplies are a challenge to get. “Swiffer!" Sharma shouted. “I can’t buy it.”

Not only do 72% of hotel executives surveyed say they have a tough time finding cleaning supplies, but 79% say the costs have gone up.

“It’s very frustrating,” Sharma admitted. “My wife says, ‘Let’s go back to Australia.’ I am 63, but it would break my heart if I have to do that.”

Sharma said he is hoping business and costs will go back to normal. His hotel parking lot, just miles from major attractions, is now nearly empty, which is far from normal.

AHLA President Chip Rogers attributes higher operating costs to production backups, shipping delays, or supply-chain disruptions.