The Austrian gastronomy and hotel industry currently lacks around 21,000 employees. The occupancy rate in summer is only 50 percent on average, according to the gastro branch chairman Mario Pulker and the chairwoman of the hotel trade association in the Chamber of Commerce, Susanne Kraus-Winkler, in a press conference yesterday.
“A third have a real problem finding employees,” said Pulker. In the past year, many employees of seasonal companies fell into a hole between two seasons because of the corona lockdown and thus came to the labor market service. In turn, companies that are open all year round would have “carried through” their employees with the help of short-time work.
Above all, the hotel industry lacks staff in the kitchen and service area, as well as assistants. Here, too, the search is difficult. According to Kraus-Winkler, in some cases not all employees from other EU countries have come back to Austria. Five percent have reoriented themselves, according to the stewards.
“Enough have changed saddles”
Simone Gastberger, junior manager of the Scalaria event resort in St. Wolfgang, has also had this experience: “I know enough who have changed saddles,” she said in an interview with OÖNachrichten. The hotel operator, who currently employs around 120 people and an annual average of around 80, lacks almost 20 employees – across all departments.
How can you counteract this? “Service professions must be made palatable to young people again, they need prospects,” said Gastberger. She sees a lever, for example, in financial incentives such as bonuses for those who decide in favor of the hotel or restaurant business.
In view of rising costs, the industry expects prices to rise. “It will not avoid a price increase in the future,” said Kraus-Winkler. “It doesn’t work out to spend more on the right than comes in on the left,” said Pulker. Gastberger sees it similarly: “But then the quality has to be right and regional purchases have to be made.”
Extend tax relief
Pulker insists on an extension of the reduced VAT rate by one year to relieve the companies. Since July 2020, inns, tourism and cultural businesses have been paying only five percent instead of ten and 13 respectively. The regulation actually expires at the end of the year.
Jane Stock is a technology author, who has written for 24 Hours World. She writes about the latest in technology news and trends, and is always on the lookout for new and innovative ways to improve his audience’s experience.
