Since the beginning of the corona pandemic, the hotels have been (forcibly) closed for six months - at least for holidaymakers.
Despite government emergency aid, the industry is in a very critical position.
Because the home office also robs you of numerous business travelers.
How are the hotels in the Erding district?
Erding - The Best Western Plus Parkhotel Erding had to attack its reserves in order to stay afloat.
Managing director Fritz Staudinger explains that investments and renovations were originally planned last year.
“The money earmarked for this is now lost due to the lockdowns.” Staudinger speaks of the luck of being able to accommodate a few aircraft crews.
But five to ten instead of 80 guests per night are not profitable.
The bridging and November aid are not there in full.
Staudinger can currently only employ 18 of the 26 employees.
All are on short-time work.
The situation is similar at the neighboring Hotel Kastanienhof, whose employees also had to work short-time.
Andreas Fehlberger describes the situation as a "complete catastrophe".
He has been running the Hotel am Schlossberg in Aufhausen, which opened in 1994, for 19 years.
Of the eleven employees, eight currently have to stay at home on short-time work.
The buildings are almost completely empty and only five of the 77 rooms are occupied by business travelers.
“Fortunately, the hotel has been well positioned in recent years.
Without the reserves and profits from previous years, we couldn't survive, ”said the 39-year-old.
Fortunately, his house has already received the November aid and part of the December aid.
But that is only "a drop in the bucket".
Fehlberger has been deputy district chairman in the hotel and restaurant association for three years.
Therefore, he knows that some hotels in the area have closed completely because the operation alone is not worthwhile for business travelers.
“Because of the increased home office, work-related trips have decreased drastically.
It will remain the same in the future, as so much is now being done digitally, ”the manager suspects.
"Our industry is dependent on the gastronomy, the thermal baths and the airport." All of them are particularly severe corona losers.
Fehlberger is anything but optimistic about the future.
“That is why the focus must be on the existing hotels, which have been a solid mainstay for the Erding district for decades.
These should be supported and strengthened so that they can continue to exist in the future. ”In his view, funding for the planning and construction of new hotels has“ no future because the boom is over for now ”.
The Landhotel Hallnberg in Walpertskirchen came up with a particularly creative option during the crisis: A so-called "Hotel Office" can be booked immediately.
With a desk, power connection, free WiFi, free coffee, breakfast and lunch on request, you can work comfortably and in peace from your hotel room.
“A walk during the lunch break is also possible in the beautiful rural area,” says junior boss Andreas Lanzinger
The Zehmerhof guest house in Walpertskirchen also offers hotel rooms as offices - "bookable daily, weekly or even monthly", says the Facebook page.
Lanzinger reports that all costs have been reduced as far as possible.
"Before Christmas we received an advance payment, and we also applied for the November aid".
However, they were only paid out in January, which is why the family business, which has existed for over 100 years, had to get by for three more months without help and with almost no turnover.
Despite everything, the 37-year-old retains his positive attitude.
“You need them at this time.” He is also happy that he was able to host 17 weddings again last summer without a single Corona case.
Lanzinger's mother is particularly looking forward to the reopening of the restaurant, as she has been running the inn for 40 years.
The Hotel Erdinger Weißbräu is using the lockdown time and has been closed for renovation since the beginning of January.
“You still have no perspective,” says Staudinger.
You never know what to prepare for because the Ministry of Economic Affairs does not provide any information on how to proceed.
Lanzinger also fears that the hotel will remain closed until after Easter.
“But even then, business won't be up and running again immediately.
And without a lockdown, there will be no more state aid, ”he suspects.
Fehlberger hopes that restaurants and hotels can reopen at the end of March.
Nonetheless, the next few years are likely to be tough until things return to normal.
Lea Warmedinger