The hospitality industry indicates it is “on the brink of despair” and is calling on authorities for resuscitation measures.
The Alliance for Tourism specifies that the industry needs funds, and if authorities do not provide a consistent compensation plan, they will be held responsible for the collapse of an entire industry and the loss of up to 400,000 jobs. This industry needs neither promises nor aid arriving next year. It needs money now, the Alliance for Tourism points out.
“Since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, the hospitality industry has been hit hard. More than nine months have passed since then, and in Romania, apart from the general measures that the entire economy benefited from, no specific aid action has been implemented so far. The second wave of the pandemic dealt the final blow to the industry: restaurants were closed, events banned, mobility reduced to almost zero. Travel agencies have begun self-demolishing their own activity from recent months, as tourists are once again canceling recent bookings,” the Alliance for Tourism states.
Entrepreneurs say they can no longer survive with deferred installments or taxes, “which will kill them anyway with a delay,” stating they need cash to pay current debts in the context of zero revenue. “And their employees cannot survive on technical unemployment or a reduced schedule of only 50%, as long as their activity is between 0-20%.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Alliance for Tourism requesting?The Alliance is requesting consistent compensation plans and immediate cash to cover current debts, rather than just tax deferrals or promises.
How many jobs are at risk?It is estimated that up to 400,000 jobs could be lost if authorities do not intervene quickly with a consistent support plan.
Why are the current measures insufficient?Entrepreneurs argue that loan deferrals and partial technical unemployment are unsustainable when business activity is between 0-20% and revenues are near zero.