Wednesday 17th November 2021
Industry trembles at lockdown
Cancellation wave covers Christmas gastronomy
Christmas party with colleagues? It doesn’t look like that at the moment. Hoteliers and restaurateurs are starting to feel the rising incidence: a wave of cancellations is sweeping away hopes for good business. Some federal states are particularly affected.
A wave of cancellations due to increasing corona cases puts hoteliers and restaurant owners in dire straits during the important Christmas business. The industry had implemented 28.2 percent less from November 1 to 15 than in November of the pre-crisis year 2019, said the German Hotel and Restaurant Association (Dehoga).
“The Christmas business, which is so important for the industry, threatens to collapse completely, and we are once again experiencing a wave of rejections,” said Dehoga President Guido Zöllick. “In view of the increasing number of infections and the associated stricter access rules, the uncertainty and the concerns about the existence of the companies are increasing again.”
It is all the more important to extend the short-time work allowance and the bridging allowance III plus until the end of March. The industry has suffered extremely from the Corona restrictions in 2020 and 2021. “There must be no lockdown for those who have been vaccinated and those who have recovered in the hospitality industry,” warned Zöllick with a view to tomorrow’s conference of prime ministers on Thursday.
“2G better than lockdown”
A 2G rule, which most federal states have introduced and according to which only vaccinated and convalescent people have access, is better than a lockdown. Zöllick declined that these people should also be tested. “2G Plus is not a solution for restaurants and hotels.” This would mean a lockdown for the industry. Hotels and restaurants are not drivers of pandemics.
Almost nine out of ten companies report corona-related cancellations of Christmas parties, according to a Dehoga survey of 6,870 companies. Almost every second celebration (45.3 percent) has already been canceled. “There are also cancellations in the event and conference area.” Events were canceled in 85.5 percent of the establishments. A good 80 percent of the accommodation providers complain about the cancellation of overnight stays by business travelers and tourists. According to Dehoga, many rejections are registered by companies in Saxony, Bavaria and Thuringia.