TÜROB President Müberra Eresin called for the short-time work allowance, set to end on 31 March 2021, to continue in the tourism sector...

‘Short-time work allowance is vital for tourism’

TÜROB President Müberra Eresin called for the short-time work allowance, set to end on 31 March 2021, to continue in the tourism sector.

Müberra Eresin, President of the Turkish Hoteliers Association (TÜROB), said that the continuation of the short-time work allowance is of vital importance for the tourism and accommodation sector. President Eresin made a statement regarding the short-time work allowance, which is set to end on 31 March 2021. In her statement, Eresin noted that the Covid-19 pandemic has affected the tourism sector more than any other in Türkiye, as it has worldwide, and said: “It is very important that the support provided to the sector continues and that new support is added. In particular, the continuation of the short-time work allowance until the end of the year is of vital importance for our sector. This measure has been the most important support provided to the sector during the harsh conditions of the pandemic.”

Let us not lose our qualified workforce

Pointing out that thanks to this support the negative impact of the pandemic on employment in the sector has been kept to a minimum, Eresin said: “While the sector is going through the most difficult period in its history, as is the case all over the world, many accommodation facilities have been forced to suspend their operations. Even now, more than half of the hotels across Türkiye remain on a mandatory pause. As we have always insisted, our priority is human health… Another matter just as important to us is being able to protect the sector’s trained human resources and to ensure that, even after the pandemic, the most qualified group of employees in Türkiye’s field can continue working within the sector.”

Tough times for city hotels

Emphasising that, if the normalisation steps in Türkiye and around the world proceed as planned, they expect activity in the tourism sector to gradually begin after the second half of the year, Eresin said: “This activity will initially begin in the coastal regions, and unfortunately its effect on city hotels appears unlikely to be felt until the end of the year. Looking at the first signals coming from Europe and our other major tourism markets, we can say that city hotels are in for a difficult time until the end of the year.”