The corona crisis worries many travel agencies economically. They appeal: "Those who love travel move"
Bad Tölz-Wolfratshausen - Your job is to offer people the right setting for "the most beautiful time of the year", to organize great trips. But that is currently out of the question in travel agencies. Instead, cancellations hail.
Michaela Gampenrieder remembers her last booking exactly. On March 7th it was: a Baltic cruise in August. "I was still thinking that it might not be that bad," says the managing director of the travel agency Wolf Travel in Wolfratshausen. But a few days later, the uncertainty of the customers resulted in a huge wave of cancellations. When the Federal Foreign Office issued a worldwide travel warning, the phone stopped. Around 70 trips had been canceled by the end of April. “Customers with departure dates from June to August are still relaxed. But April is zero and I suspect that the May trips will also be canceled, ”feared Gampenrieder.
Around 70 trips have already been canceled in an office
The situation in the AS ReiseCenter in Bad Tölz is no different. Owner Annemarie Scheitterer and her team spent most of their time dealing with cancellations. “January to March are the months with the highest sales for us, they are extremely lacking - and new bookings are zero,” says the managing director, who puts the drop in sales at “around 90 percent”.
Both of their employees cut overtime or were on short-time work. She continues to work "a few hours a day in the office". Then she also looks after customers who should be brought back from their vacation countries. The tour operators are overloaded and often can only be reached by email. "Sometimes you have to wait a long time for answers," says Scheitterer. "But that's what we're here for. That is the advantage of a travel agency. ”The personal service - which the travel consultants provide largely free of charge because they have to pay the commissions for canceled trips back to the tour operator - is also enjoyed by customers whose vacation is still imminent.
"Many customers are unsure about what will happen to the trips they have booked for May and June," says the travel specialist. In such cases, she recommends waiting. "We keep an eye on all departure dates and inform customers in good time."
Loss in sales of around 90 percent
Those who fear that they are already canceling their trip will pay cancellation fees. However, this does not apply if the situation has not improved in a month or two and the organizers have to take further trips from the market.
Wait or rebook, Ralf Hecher recommends. “Many tour operators are already offering free rebookings for May. We also offer this to our customers, of course, ”says the owner of two travel agencies in Wolfratshausen and Geretsried. Business is currently also at a standstill there. The five employees are on short-time work. However, both offices are staffed for half a day and easily accessible by phone.
"Wait or rebook"
"At the moment it is a minus business, April and May can also buckle," says Hecher, who is preparing for a longer drought period. In the meantime, he is pleased that there are customers who leave their credit balance and rebook for autumn - in keeping with the campaign of the German Travel Agency Association (DRV): "Those who love to travel move!"
"I am grateful to every rebooking, that is the most solidarity solution," says Michaela Gampenrieder. "But probably not everyone can afford that in the near future," she shows understanding for customers who completely cancel their trip. Otherwise it is important to use the time. "We are considering how we are prepared when the desire to travel breaks again". She is certain: "After the crisis, the urge to enjoy a carefree time" will be huge. This also applies to the customer from March 7th: He has not yet canceled his cruise in August.
Also read:
Corona In the Bad Tölz-Wolfratshausen district - always up to date
Lenggries advertising community fights for local dealers and businesses
Young couple from Bad Heilbrunn are stuck in Peru