According to the annual survey conducted by the Research Institute for Tourism (ITEP) on the effects of the pandemic on hotels entitled, "Liquidity enhancement is the oxygen that the industry urgently needs" the turnover of hotels in 2020 decreased by 78%, compared to 2019.
As shown in the research - which was carried out by stratified
proportional sampling in all hotel units in the country and was
completed on December 10, 2020 - only 1 out of 5 hotels in continuous
operation managed to stay open, compared to those operating in the same
period of 2019.
Of the 3,965 hotels in operation in the country, 59% reopened (2,328
hotels) after the 1st lockdown and 63% of them were forced to close
again by the end of 2020. Only 863 hotels remained open in December
2020, representing 22% of the total.
According to the ITEP survey, the average operating period of seasonal
hotels in 2020 was reduced to 3.2 months and of those with continuous
operation was reduced to 7 months, due to the extraordinary conditions
created, while the average occupancy of July-September in the total
hotel potential was reduced to 23,1%.
It is characteristic that the total room sales of the July-September
2020 quarter were less than the corresponding sales of September 2019
alone.
The financial tools
The financial instruments to support the hotel industry have so far
covered 1/3 of the average total liquidity needs of hotels, while an
additional deficit of 900 million euros is shown by the hotel coffers,
due to uncollected turnover in 2020, which reaches 278,365 .800 euros,
combined with the reduction of advances for 2021, by 83.3%.
On the positive side, despite the image that prevailed, with the help of
the relevant programs employment was supported in all the hotels that
managed to operate in 2020.
Commenting on the findings of the survey, the President of the Hotel
Chamber of Greece, Mr. Alexandros Vasilikos, pointed out: "The results
of the annual survey of Greek Hotels confirm the unprecedented magnitude
of the crisis they faced in 2020. 2021 also begins with many
uncertainties. Continuing to boost liquidity is the oxygen that the
industry urgently needs to stay strong. Not only for the benefit of
companies and their employees but also for the benefit of the national
economy as a whole and of all sectors that are directly or indirectly
related to the Greek hotel and cover a wide range of Greek
entrepreneurship ".
As he said, commenting on the financial tools, "the Refundable Advance
Payment is the tool mostly appreciated by our colleagues, in terms of
its operation and immediate action. However, more is needed for the
industry to play a very direct role in the situation we are in. It will
be easier for tourism to move forward, in comparison to other sectors."
