Since the last week, there are no more entry restrictions to Austria. The tourism industry hopes for a successful summer tourism season like before the pandemic. However, there are several setbacks.
Before the pandemic, the number of guests from China coming to Austria rose to over one million arrivals. Since this weekend, however, Chinese citizens are no longer allowed to leave their home country because of a new Corona outbreak. Vienna has been hit particularly hard.
Available Hotel Jobs in Austria
The shortage of personnel, on the other hand, is having an impact on everyone. During the Corona crisis, many jobs were lost, and numerous employees in the industries that had closed down in the meantime had to be retrained. After the gastro-lockdowns, restaurants, cafés and co. in Vienna alone lack exactly 1,937 jobs - an increase of over 260 percent compared to the previous year.
There is a whopping change of plus 447 percent compared to the previous year in vacancies in the accommodation sector. Here, too, working hours, work location and wages are often very unattractive. 580 positions need to be filled in Vienna as soon as possible. At least, with Susanne Kraus-Winkler, there is now a dedicated member of government who can devote herself entirely to tourism.
Low Wages
More and more restaurants have to reduce their opening hours, introduce days off for the first time or are unable to open at all. The remaining restaurants are thus downright overcrowded.
According to Walter Veit, president of the Austrian Hoteliers Association since January, there is currently a shortage of between 20,000 and 25,000 employees. The Chamber of Labor advises trying higher wages after all. Because the salary according to the collective agreement for a trained receptionist is about 1,790 euros gross at 40 hours full-time.
Eating Out to Remain Affordable
Wages cannot be increased, because going on vacation and eating out must remain affordable. More net from gross is therefore the demand of the hoteliers' association.
A Salzburg hotelier further complains, "We are struggling a bit with the image. We are always portrayed as exploiters and the bad ones, but that's not true anymore." The pay, he says, is comparable to that of white-collar workers, and many even appreciate working on weekends. Because of the hopeless situation, employees have now been brought in from abroad.
The authorities expect an increase in visitors this summer. While last year 82 percent of all summer guests came from Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, this year guests are again expected from all over Europe, and increasingly from Arab countries, especially the Emirates. Significant increases in bookings are reported from Italy, Spain, France, the Netherlands and the Emirates.