Sandals Resorts Close Properties for 30 Days Due to Coronavirus

Sandals and Beaches resorts are closing their doors to guests amid the coronavirus pandemic, according to a news report posted on USA Today.

The Caribbean's popular all-inclusive resort chain announced recent travel restrictions, flight cancellations and the current global health crisis has forced management to shut down operations from March 30 until May 15.

The resort chain said none of its 15 Sandals resorts nor three Beaches properties would accept any guest arrivals past March 23.  Sandals isn't the only hotel chain affected by the coronavirus.

Great Wolf Lodge, the family-oriented resort brand known for its elaborate indoor water park, announced March 13 it will temporarily close over coronavirus concerns. It doesn't look like hotel closures will be stopping any time soon. 

In the U.S., half of the hotels could shutter amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, according to Chip Rogers, president and CEO of the American Hotel & Lodging Association.

"If something doesn't happen quickly, since occupancy is trending toward zero, you're going to see thousands of hotels go out of business," Rogers told USA TODAY. While many will close and reopen at some point in the future, others won't.

There are about 56,000 hotels across the U.S., and 25,000 of those could close in the next few weeks, at least temporarily, according to Rogers.