Energy crisis, staff shortages and inflation: Hospitality with fears for the future

Created: 08/11/2022, 07:00

By: Andreas Seiler

Tourism in view: Bavaria's Economics Minister and Free Voters boss Hubert Aiwanger (middle) as a guest in Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

He was received in front of the congress center by (from left) Dehoga district manager Wolfgang Zunterer, GaPa tourism manager Michael Gerber, district administrator Anton Speer, Dehoga district chairwoman Jutta Gries and member of the state parliament Florian Streibl.

© Very

The holiday business is booming again after the difficult Corona years.

Nevertheless, in view of the energy crisis and inflation, there is great uncertainty in the hospitality industry.

This was clearly felt at a meeting of landlords and hoteliers with Bavaria's Economics Minister Hubert Aiwanger (free voters) in Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

Garmisch-Partenkirchen – The hotel and catering industry, an important cornerstone of the economy in the tourist district of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, has had a difficult time.

Many companies were only able to survive the two years of Corona and the months of lockdown with state aid.

But now tourism has recovered.

Throughout Bavaria, the number of guest arrivals and overnight stays has almost reached the pre-corona level again.

You can tell that here in the region too: The occupancy rate is high, the dining rooms and beer gardens are well filled, you can hear it from different sides.

The G7 summit at Schloss Elmau and the Passion Play in Oberammergau provided an additional boost.

"That puts worry lines on our foreheads."

But dark clouds are gathering.

Whether it's a shortage of skilled workers, the energy crisis or inflation - there is uncertainty about where the journey is going and what difficulties companies will face.

Above all, many business people are worried about the horror scenario that consumers could start giving up vacation and restaurant visits in view of the noticeable price increases.

Jutta Gries, district chairwoman of the Bavarian Hotel and Restaurant Association (Dehoga), spoke at a discussion with the Bavarian Minister for Economic Affairs and Tourism Hubert Aiwanger (free voters) in Garmisch-Partenkirchen about a "questionable outlook for the future".

With District Administrator Anton Speer (free voters) it didn't sound much different: "That drives us to worry lines on our foreheads."

Aiwanger was also unable to give the all-clear at the event, to which Dehoga had invited in cooperation with GaPa Tourismus in the Kongresshaus.

But the Lower Bavarian, who campaigns for sustainable quality tourism, warned against painting everything black and spreading a mood of doom.

"We won't freeze completely," he said, cautiously optimistic, with a view to a possible gas emergency.

The storage tanks are well filled until the start of the heating season, and other countries such as Norway are also supplying the fuel.

The gas supply, which previously came mainly from Russia and is now threatened as a result of the Ukraine war, is elementary for many hotels and restaurants.

Because it is estimated that every second company uses the energy source - this was the result of a quick survey that evening.

Aiwanger spoke out in favor of relying more on domestic fuels, such as biogas or wood chips.

"It's the common sense way."

Plea for tax breaks

The Free Voters boss, who presented himself as a down-to-earth pragmatist and fired off a few tips against the political competition, made a plea for tax breaks.

He explicitly mentioned income tax and value added tax.

The point, he told the 50 or so visitors in the Richard Strauss concert hall, was to relieve the burden on lower and middle income groups.

Because: "These are the first who no longer go out to eat." Now the course must be set so that it doesn't even come to that.

His party colleague Florian Streibl, parliamentary group leader in the Bavarian state parliament, brought another aspect into play when it came to energy policy: The Oberammergauer criticized that it was a serious mistake to privatize companies in the energy industry.

"A sin that has to be paid dearly today." The companies belonged back to the public sector in order to be able to control the basic supply better.

The Walchensee power plant, which belongs to the ailing Uniper group, was mentioned as an example in the debate.

The Dehoga members also addressed hurdles and obstacles that the industry is struggling with.

For example, Almut Heiland from Wurmansau complained about the bureaucracy, which she held responsible for the Bavarian village inn that was threatened with extinction.

This urgently needs to be cleared out and simplified.

"We manage ourselves to death," said the operator of the Ammertaler Hof.