The signs change so quickly during Corona: First, Garmisch-Partenkirchen Tourism was confident about the winter season.
But incidences and uncertainties have now triggered a wave of cancellations.
Garmisch-Partenkirchen
- After long debates, the Garmisch-Partenkirchen councilors did not feel like it on Thursday.
The town hall administration had shortened the agenda of the public part at short notice in order not to unnecessarily prolong the meeting.
The reason for the fast run-through: the corona crisis, which threatens to get out of control here in the hotspot district.
"It is a fatal situation," said Mayor Elisabeth Koch (CSU) before she announced the highest incidence level of 548.3 (the next day it was 566.4) in the Werdenfels festival hall - a value at which all alarm signals are ringing.
Corona in Garmisch-Partenkirchen: anger and uncertainty in gastronomy
But despite the compressed program, free voter spokesman and hotel manager Daniel Schimmer found the time for a fiery speech that expressed the anger and uncertainty in the hospitality industry.
"This lack of planning is no longer bearable and causes absolute chaos," complained the local chairman of the Bavarian Hotel and Restaurant Association (Dehoga) about the crisis management of major politics.
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Daniel Schimmer gave an incendiary speech in the local council.
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2G (plus), 3G (plus), yellow traffic light, red traffic light - the hygiene regulations with which the government is trying to get the pandemic under control are constantly changing.
You quickly lose track of things in companies.
“It is neither time to understand the rules in the brevity of the announcements, to communicate them to the guests or to train the employees,” criticized Schimmer - and warned: “The current situation is on the verge of escalating.
Every day I get countless calls from colleagues in my industry who are overwhelmed by the current situation. "
Corona rules cause chaos: 2G, 2G-plus or 3G?
Gastronomy "overwhelmed"
In addition: The initially good booking situation for the important winter season is crumbling.
According to Schimmer, a number of events are being canceled, whether Christmas parties or company meetings.
"The wave of cancellations is on the way," reports the head of the Garmischer Hof when asked.
“People are insecure,” is how he explains this negative trend.
Video: 2G in the gastro
And the entrepreneur fears that this is by no means the end of the flagpole.
“If the situation doesn't change soon, then we will have empty restaurants and hotels, employees without short-time work and no state aid whatsoever.
Worse than in lockdown, ”predicts Schimmer, who also complains about the social division in the wake of the pandemic.
His demand on federal and state politics: "We need predictability and clean rules."
Corona in Garmisch-Partenkirchen: Anger in gastronomy - "Worse than in lockdown"
No question about it: there is rumbling in the industry, which plays a central role in Garmisch-Partenkirchen.
The tourist destination has around 1000 hosts, including around 40 hotels.
Schimmer is not alone in his experiences and views.
Volker Neuroth, boss of the Berggasthof Pflegeersee, also felt the rejection with full force.
Around 40 percent of the Christmas reservations have already broken off, he reports.
These celebrations are an important pillar.
"A clear statement from the government would help us," says the restaurateur.
In addition, it is becoming increasingly difficult to find staff.
Because many skilled workers would have changed jobs after the lockdowns.
He denied the summer with a lot of temporary workers.
Jutta Gries, manager of the Rheinischer Hof, also strikes a dramatic note.
"This is a disaster," says the Dehoga district chairwoman of the current situation.
In an emergency, the state would have to distribute financial injections again.
The hygiene concepts in the companies worked very well.
Gries thinks: The current 3G-plus rule (vaccinated, recovered or tested using PCR) is sufficient.
The tightened 2G model (vaccinated or recovered) that is planned would, in their opinion, restrict civil liberties too much.
After all, Germany is “not a kind of police state”.
Read more news from the Garmisch-Partenkirchen region here.
By the way: Everything from the region is also available in our regular GAP newsletter.
