The Ukraine war and its political and economic consequences can be clearly felt in the tourism businesses in Mecklenburg-West Pomerania. Demand and sales are falling.
Rostock (dpa/mv) – The hotel and catering industry must expect a significant drop in sales this year. As the President of Dehoga Mecklenburg-West Pomerania, Lars Schwarz, said, the gastronomy calculates with up to a quarter lower sales. There are also double-digit declines in accommodation establishments – “and there is rarely a 1 in front of it”. The short period of time in which the whole of Germany is on summer vacation and the hotels and holiday apartments should actually be fully booked begins with the start of the holidays in Bavaria on Monday. But in view of the global problems, people are more cautious and reserved than in previous years.
Schwarz does not currently see the prospects for the industry as particularly rosy. “There is hardly any significant growth in tourism to be expected in the next few years.” In addition, a possible recession will particularly hit the industry as one of the most labour-intensive economic sectors.
The entrepreneurs in the tourist businesses clearly felt the price increases, for example for food or energy. However, they could not pass them on to customers in full, which further aggravates the problems caused by the currently falling utilization. In addition, it is no longer possible to plan bed occupancy compared to previous years. “The bookings are coming at shorter notice,” said Schwarz.
At the same time, it is difficult to save on the main energy drivers such as wellness facilities. Because in bad weather or in the near autumn, the wellness areas with swimming pools and saunas as measures to extend the season are exactly the arguments to bring guests into the country, said Schwarz.
The current lower utilization also conceals the cross-industry problem of the shortage of skilled workers. In the corona pandemic, the industry would have lost a lot of staff due to the months of forced closures. If the political and economic circumstances make it possible to work at full capacity again in the coming year, possibilities must urgently be sought to open up alternative sources for recruiting employees.
