This is another blow to the hotel industry. "After sixteen months of yellow vests, beaded strike of the SNCF, strike on the pension reform, we suffer, since February, the consequences of the virus", notes, almost resigned, Laurent Duc, the president of the hotel branch of Umih professional union.
The establishments emptied of their occupants until reaching the minimum threshold. “For the past two months, we have only been doing domestic work, with weekends with only ten rooms. But with confinement, there are only a handful of customers left: those who stay at the hotel and a few tourists near the airports who have not managed to leave on time. "
In the city of Lyon (Rhône) to date, only 29 hotels out of 200 are still open, according to Laurent Duc, himself established in this city. “In my hotel, there are only two people left: one relocated because his building is in danger of collapsing and another due to a fire. I await the return of the prefect but I will probably close the hotel in the next few hours. The fixed-term contracts and the extras have already been thanked and the other employees will be put on partial unemployment. "My maintenance man will do some work: changing the carpets and the paint, before perhaps a requisition to house the nursing staff", organizes, philosopher, the entrepreneur.
Tourism, 8% of the French trade balance
For the president of the hotel industry, the only establishments that remain open are those managed by independents, who live on site.
The Accor group, which has 1,500 hotels in France, has closed a very large number “without being able to give a precise figure. It is evolving day by day, ”says the group's communication. "Over the past two months, activity has fallen sharply with a CoVid-19 impact of around 20 million euros on the group's gross operating surplus", noted Accor in a press release dated 11 March. Today, the group claims "to be at the disposal of the authorities for the future".
The Union of hotel trades and industries expects long and difficult months. “The treasuries are already exhausted. Unlike other industries, in tourism, a place not sold in a hotel or on an airplane will never be sold again. And it will take many months after the crisis before people travel again without being afraid, ”projects Laurent Duc. Tourism represents 8% of the French trade balance.