The predicament brought in by the coronavirus pandemic means that every third job in the German tourism sector could be lost unless the state intervenes, according to the president of the Federal Association of the German Tourism Industry (BTW).
Michael Frenzel said that “around a million” of some 3 million people working in the sector in Germany stand at risk of becoming unemployed.
Frenzel said that 70% are already working short-time under a government scheme that looks after workers compensated for losing work.
The BTW president also predicted long-term changes in the industry, with big online companies taking over the market while smaller travel agencies and tour operators fading away.
Frenzel also urged the government to bring in a voucher scheme to substitute cash compensation for customers whose trips have been canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The tourism industry in Germany is also expected to suffer under the current unwillingness of Germans to travel in the midst of uncertainties created by the coronavirus crisis.
Almost half of Germans (48%) do not want to see European borders reopened for the summer holidays. Since mid-March, a general travel warning has been initiated in Germany, and borders would remain closed until mid-June at the earliest.
Around 42% have dropped the idea of taking a holiday at all, according to a survey. However, 16% are determined to travel abroad in spite of restrictions, while 13% wish to travel within Germany.
Germans normally would go on holidays abroad than at home. A survey showed that 74% of their holiday trips were in other countries.
Tags: COVID-19 crisis, Germans
