Hotel sector sees gloomy outlook

Swiss hotels are predicting a worsening outlook, as newspapers warn thousands of jobs could be lost in the sector. According to the latest survey by sector association HotellerieSuisse at the beginning of this month, more than a third of hotels (37%) say they will have to lay off staff in the coming months. The rate is particularly high in cities (59%). Thousands of jobs could be lost in the sector in the next six months, warn Le Matin Dimanche and NZZ am Sonntag newspapers. Some 80,000 people work in the sector, according to Le Matin Dimanche. Hotellerie Suisse said on Sunday that for a large majority of hotels (66%), this summer season was significantly worse than last year throughout Switzerland. Although more Swiss people spent vacations in rural and alpine regions, this did not make up for the absence of foreign tourists. In the coming months, “the hotels are clearly expecting a reduced number of guests and significant losses in turnover”, says HotellerieSuisse. Seventy...