Everywhere on the Neusiedler lake is listen to the Tschilpen and the Chattering of the reed-covered area in the case of Illmitz, near the Hungarian border, is a Paradise for bird lovers. But because of the Corona of a pandemic, despite the summer temperatures is little going on in the great steppe lake,. Only a few cyclists getting off the ferry in Illmitz. "Today we had maybe 20 customers," says captain Hermann Drescher, brings day-trippers from one shore to the other. Also his Hungarian season force has begun this year until the beginning of may with the work, "two weeks later than usual".

The Hungarian of Sopron commutes since the age of thirteen in each season-and-forth. Normally this time of year a lot of operating on the lake, she says. However, now a car Park and a sunbathing lawn the geese. Also in front of the Icebox of the seller, Moni is only a few customers are in line. "A third from last year," calculates you, no tourists. "It's bad", mummelt you in your mask and fill the waffle with scoops of ice cream "to as long as the borders".

easing may come in the tourism,

Until the middle of June, according to the recommendation of the EU Commission re-visitors from abroad. The government in Vienna, which penetrates for weeks on relaxations in the important industry of tourism. "We will now continue to the end of may, the accommodation, the hotel industry in Austria again," announces the Minister responsible, Elisabeth Köstinger of the ruling ÖVP. However, if you want to keep the "number of new infections in the eye," says the Conservative. Therefore, only the borders to the neighbours with a good Corona will be open in balance (Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Switzerland/Liechtenstein), which will remain in Italy for the time being, closed.

the catering and hotel business is driven peu à peu high, keeps Markus Huber for useful. "As long as there are travel restrictions," says the Facility Manager, "makes nothing sense". Basically, the day-trippers from Vienna is correct that the government has put the economic well-two months in the deep sleep. The only way to prevent the Virus spreading further. "All companies have to close down, unfortunately, the Hotels have to be," he says and pushes his bike from the ferry.

Many cancellations

"The season is over for us," says Otto Josef Egermann, and prepare the Espresso in the Hotel "Post" itself. His staff has sent the Hotelier from Illmitz to home. One and a half dozen employees are now living from unemployment money - strokes, such as over the border, blame it on the prescribed closing due to the pandemic. "For us, it usually starts in April, with the ornithologists" is one of the entrepreneurs, the events of which he normally lives: Bird Fair, Bird-Experience, "spring awakening" at the Neusiedler lake, the vintage car rally - "a whole bunch of events in April and may - all of which failed".

in November it had looked for the family business after a good season: The 50-bed home in the centre of Illmitz was fully booked. "Everything is cancelled", said the Hotelier, "at the moment we have reserved five rooms for Pentecost." And in the summer? "You have to see what comes to bookings clean". For all cases, he is with his employees in constant contact. Most of them had disputed some of the season in the "Post" says Egermann, "want to come back". The bookings for the autumn look good, since there is "no cancellations," says the Hotelier. Don't want to leave it on but. Because "if there is now a second Corona wave is coming, then canceled again."

Hoteliers complain due to Shutdown

the Hotelier Egermann is not alone. Austria's Hoteliers moan, more than a third of the 4 - and 5-star hotels has made per house of € 700,000 loss, attributed to the hoteliers Association ÖHV. With tax cancellation, Gastro-vouchers and money spraying the Ruling in Austria, therefore, support the hospitality industry. You are aware of the importance of the industry to the Alpine Republic, it accounts for 16 percent of the gross national product.

Egermann sees the Shutdown, however, the AIDS skeptical. "The bill pays at the end of the real economy," says the market radicals, in the Form of higher taxes and levies. In the hotel industry will be due to the Corona-crisis shakeout, believes Egermann. Who has poorly performed, or a lot of debt to have, will probably go under. A valley of tears, but in a year or two will be weathered the crisis. "With assistance it will take longer", he believes, because companies would be artificially ventilated.

With a new Service through the crisis

The current crisis Egermann from sitting in the empty Restaurant. Where else can hotel guests and families food, he now sits alone at the covered table and looks through the window the great chestnut tree in the yard. His family gained running in the past few years. "A year, we hold", he says, in spite of high investments into the room. Thousands of euros of emergency aid, he took, because that was non-bureaucratic. Other AIDS? He waves his hand dismissively. Not exactly. The loan rates are more expensive than that which he paid now. Instead, he simply pressed the cost.

The family has a few guests who were allowed to come to the Hotel supervises: service technicians, the many wind wheels waiting in the Burgenland. So, he has bridged the April, tell Egermann, and with his new business idea. He delivers the now pulp-free house. "Before, it was not the place," he says, "because we had to celebrate in the Restaurant, only the hotel guests, and family." The delivery service he wants to maintain even after the Corona-crisis. "This is well accepted".

author: Stephan Ozsváth

*The contribution of "Idyll without guests - Austria is competing for guests" is published by Deutsche Welle. Contact with the executives here.

Deutsche Welle

Date Of Update: 21 May 2020, 15:26