With the current cost increases, the hospitality industry, which has been hit by the corona virus, expects sales to drop again. Companies are hoping for relief and are worried about high energy prices.
Magdeburg (dpa/sa) - In view of rising energy prices, companies in the hospitality industry are very concerned about their business in the cold season. As a hotel operator, you cannot only heat the room to 18 degrees, said the President of the German Hotel and Restaurant Association in Saxony-Anhalt, Michael Schmidt. Guests demanded a certain level of comfort.
But colleagues are already talking about triple the energy costs. According to Schmidt, many companies were in danger of slipping into economic difficulties. Politicians must give small and medium-sized businesses a helping hand here, since the costs cannot simply be passed on to the guest. "At some point, acceptance will reach its limits here," said Schmidt.
According to the expert, many consumers have already switched to economy mode. Expenditure would be minimized - for many people, most likely when visiting restaurants and on vacation. According to Schmidt, the hospitality industry is still a long way from recovering from the consequences of the pandemic. Restaurant sales in Saxony-Anhalt are still more than 20 percent below the pre-corona level of 2019.
The companies in the country sometimes try to cushion the costs somewhat through cost-cutting measures. In the Maritim Hotel in Magdeburg, for example, individual hotel areas are occupied and controlled depending on the number of guests, as a company spokeswoman said. In addition, opening hours for the pool and sauna area would be slightly reduced, the pool temperature would be lowered by a few degrees and air conditioning would be used as needed.
