Lichtenhain (dpa/sn) – The Saxon hospitality industry has not yet made sufficient use of the digital world. “Although almost all businesses in Saxony have their own website, only a little more than half actively advertise their business on social media channels and only a little more than half of the accommodation providers are connected via booking portals,” said Minister of Tourism Barbara Klepsch (CDU). Monday at an appointment at the Lichtenhain waterfall in Saxon Switzerland. In the meantime, however, information, contacts and bookings are largely made via the Internet.
“Companies that cannot be found online these days and ultimately also booked cannot survive on the market in the long term. That is why it is so important that companies set off now,” said the minister. Advisors from the State Tourism Association (LTV) would support the companies as part of a new project. The project “Tourism 360 degrees digital” helps small and medium-sized tourism companies with digitization. So far, 20 companies have been given final advice, and 14 others are still doing so. The ministry is providing around 500,000 euros for this in the current double budget.
The current situation in tourism is currently showing an optimistic picture. “But the outlook for autumn and winter is clouded. The unforeseeable developments with regard to energy costs, inflation and the development of the pandemic are dampening the willingness to consume and invest. In addition, there is a shortage of workers and skilled workers, which has hit the tourism industry particularly hard,” it said ministry.
When it comes to digitization, the main focus is on the complexity of converting digital systems, a lack of human resources and the large variety of new technical solutions, says LTV Director Manfred Böhme: “A stable network and the availability of a fast Internet connection are essential , for which there is still a lot of catching up to do, especially in rural areas. In many cases, low equity capital for investments, a lack of information on funding opportunities and dealing with administrative procedures are also obstacles.”