Hotels in the Würmtal are allowed to receive tourists again.
Massive bookings, fully occupied rooms and many rolling suitcases have so far failed to materialize.
An upswing is not yet in sight.
Würmtal
- Just in time for the Whitsun holidays, the hotels in the Würmtal were allowed to reopen to tourists. "If it hadn't started now, it would have been threatening for us," says Stefan Osterath, who runs the Hotel Asemann in Planegg with his wife Alexandra Osterath. “Our reserves have been used up.” Since November, overnight stays have only been booked for business or other valid reasons.
Guests who came for a city trip, a visit to the Oktoberfest or a big party such as a wedding, communion or confirmation were absent due to the corona.
"Our losses are immense," says Stefan Osterath: "Compared to 2019, we have made around 70 percent less sales since the beginning of the pandemic." However, they did not have to lay off any employees.
"We were able to keep the staff through short-time work."
Bookings are slowly starting again
After six and a half months of rotating and shortened working hours, the team was very pleased that there was more to be done again.
At Whitsun it is always relatively quiet at the Hotel Asemann.
Compared to the pre-Corona year 2019, the hotel is currently about a quarter less fully booked.
But he already had a few inquiries for the summer, not only from private individuals, business people were also coming back now.
However, one thing is certain for Stefan Osterath: Since the Oktoberfest has been canceled again, many bookings will not be made in autumn.
Less sales due to Oktoberfest cancellation
The canceled Oktoberfest also worries Anke Bianco, co-owner of the Planegger Hotel and Restaurant La Terrazza.
"The Oktoberfest was a high season for us." This income is now for the second time in a row.
And the losses that the Planegger hotel business has suffered since the pandemic are “very heavy”, according to Bianco.
La Terazza was allowed to continue to offer take-away food even during the federal emergency brake, but that was "a drop in the ocean".
In this way, the company continues to keep afloat with reserves.
There is financial support from the state, but the November aid, for example, was only paid out in March.
Hope for more guests in summer
So far, not much has changed: business people will continue to book rooms, inquiries from private individuals have so far only been few.
The reopening of the hotels was too short-term for a Whitsun vacation, says Bianco.
In addition, with the constantly changing corona regulations, some guests are still unsure of the conditions under which and with how many people they are even allowed to enter a hotel.
"We hope that summer will get better," says Bianco.
Andreas Weissenfeld, owner of the Würmtaler guest house in Gräfelfing, feels the same way: only a few tourists came to his hotel over Whitsun.
Now that the weather is getting better, the beer gardens are opening and the corona rules are getting looser, more private bookings are gradually coming.
He too has suffered losses.
“Compared to 2019, there are at least 50 to 80 percent less sales,” Weissenfeld explains.
He did not apply for the so-called Corona aid from the state, it was too much bureaucratic effort.
Regardless of this, he receives short-time work benefits for his employees.
He often waits a long time for this and extends the money for the staff until then - but at least he doesn't have to fire anyone.
The fact that the Oktoberfest is canceled also hits Andreas Weissenfeld hard - the months of September and October were always the main season for him.
What is worse, however, is that due to the increased work at home, many business people are still missing as guests.
In addition, there is the fear that the virus could circulate again more frequently in cooler temperatures in autumn.
Future forecast: "No improvement in sight"
Gioacchino Dimaggio describes the situation in his hotel and restaurant Dolce Vita in Graefelfing as a “disaster”. So far, he has had to accept around 90 percent losses. He is still waiting for the December aid to be paid out by the state. Despite the reopening, he has only a few tourist guests, and his two employees have to remain on short-time work. "As long as there are no trade fairs, no Oktoberfest, no congresses, no training courses and no major celebrations, there is no improvement in sight," says Dimaggio. “Who should come under these circumstances?” After all, fear of the virus is still in the air. If the situation does not improve soon, he is considering closing his hotel.
Lara Listl
