Empty hotels, guest houses, holiday homes and campsites. At the beginning of the Corona crisis, the number of overnight stays in Germany collapsed. Despite the initial easing of restrictions, the industry does not expect a radical recovery for the time being.
Wiesbaden (dpa) - The restrictions due to the corona pandemic have practically brought the business of hotels, guest houses and other accommodations to a standstill from mid-March.
The number of overnight stays in Germany fell in the whole month compared to the same month of the previous year by 53 percent to 15.6 million, as the Federal Statistical Office announced on Friday in Wiesbaden. According to the information, it was by far the sharpest decline since the beginning of the 1992 series. Since the middle of the month, the pandemic has banned overnight stays for private travelers.
Tourism is one of the sectors most affected by the restrictions. The hotel and restaurant association Dehoga expects further losses in sales despite the easing measures that have now been decided.
"We assume that the first few months will result in a drop in sales due to the special requirements and restrictions," said Dehoga chief executive Ingrid Hartges, recently told the newspapers of the Funke media group. Accordingly, it will still take some time before hotels and restaurants generate revenue-covering sales. The association calls for a rescue package for the catering and hotel industry.
The federal and state governments had agreed that the federal states, under their own responsibility, could allow gradual opening of hotels and restaurants. Requirements with a view to safety and hygiene must be observed to prevent the virus from spreading. The economics ministers of the federal states had agreed on a corridor from 9 to 22 May for a nationwide controlled opening.
Overnight stays by guests from abroad decreased in March by 67 percent to 2.0 million. Domestic travelers saw a 50 percent drop to 13.6 million. The number of overnight stays increased in the first two months of 2020. For the first quarter there was a decrease of 17 percent to a total of 72.4 million overnight stays. In the past year, domestic tourism had recorded the tenth record for overnight stays in a row.
The Caravaning Industry Association (CIVD) pushed for a quick restart in all federal states. The start of the camping season at Easter had already fallen victim to the Corona virus. It is all the more important that the important Pentecost business is not lost.
Federal Office notice
