The situation is dramatic, said the Leogang hotelier Hubert Oberlader. Without a firm commitment as to when the Salzburg companies are allowed to reopen, it would be difficult to keep the staff. If there is no fixed time for opening staff, then employers fear that staff will move to South Tyrol or Switzerland, where the hotels are open.

In addition, the hotels and inns require planning security. Smaller houses would need several days’ lead time, while large hotels take at least 14 days to start operating.

556 million euros in grants

During the lockdowns of the past few months, the hotels and inns received revenue replacements, fixed cost subsidies and failure bonuses. In Salzburg that was so far 556 million euros. Many companies have renovated and rebuilt during past lockdowns. It had been promised that there would be no more closings, said operators.

The financial compensation payments are a fraction of what open tourism companies can do for the economy, argued Petra Nocker-Schwarzenbacher, hotelier: Well, pouring it out with a watering can of course also has its advantages and disadvantages. Conversely, it happened quickly and saved many from ruin. “

Without opening up, rural regions are threatened with collapse

Entire valleys live from tourism, without the hotel and catering trade, rural regions are threatened with collapse, companies said. The security concepts against infection with the corona virus in hotels could work, argued the companies. Closed hotels and inns would also mean that regional producers can no longer sell their products – for example, farmers or bakers who believe in the hotel industry, according to the industry.