Major hotelier Ernst Mayer from Lermoos speaks in the “Krone” interview about cautious questions for the summer and what could fall on the entire industry in the coming years.
„krone“: Mr Mayer, with approximately 2000 beds you are one of the largest private hotel operators in Austria. What is the outlook for the summer season at your 400-bed facility in Lermoos?
Ernst Mayer: Last summer was really excellent, except in the cities of course. But this year the booking requests are still moderate and we are at least in the single-digit percentage range with our “Alpenrose – Familux Resort” in the minus. The question is whether we can reach 70,000 overnight stays again next summer.
What are the reasons for the rather reluctant questions?
Corona is hardly an issue at the moment. But besides the uncertainty that the Ukraine war brings, it is probably the massive inflation. Often not much is left of a household budget and that is where we face major problems in the medium term. Vacations are the first thing people can and should save on.
Groceries are 17 percent more expensive
Could you be a little more specific about the magnitude of the increased costs?
We shop much more expensively and have spent 17 percent more year on year alone on groceries. In Germany, where we also operate houses, the wholesale index has increased by 34 percent since 2019. These are jumps you hardly thought possible. We, as a year-round company with many local employees, do not have such major personnel concerns as many others.
All in all, it can’t be otherwise than that the holiday is getting more expensive, right?
Depending on the costs, it will be 10 to 15 percent more expensive than in 2019. But there are also companies that prefer not to raise prices when demand is low. Because not every customer understands price increases, even if the reasons are understandable.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
