The end of the summer threatens to return 4,000 people to the ERTE

The uncertainty surrounding the tourism sector since March 2020 makes long-term planning impossible. The hotel and apartment complexes in the Canary Islands are operating on very small margins depending on the evolution of reservations that fluctuate all the time.

After a summer, with occupancy levels of around 60% on average (45-50% during the week, with peaks of 75% at the weekend), but with 30% of the accommodation establishments still closed, employers are forced to return part of their workforce, taken off ERTE in July and August, back to the ERTE as of September, as they do not know what will happen during the winter season.

It is estimated that about 10-15% of workers returned to their jobs in summer, which is estimated at around 4,000 people, who will return to total or partial ERTE while waiting with anticipation for the high season of the Canary Islands to be busy.

The vice president of the Federation of Hospitality and Tourism Entrepreneurs (FEHT), Tom Smulders, said that September "does not look bad" with bookings at around 50% of the usual amount today. “It will be necessary to replace one market with another, as, in September, national tourism drops substantially. They will be replaced by Germans, Dutch and Nordics, mainly, until the British start coming back in big numbers,” says Smulders.

However, as of October "everything is up in the air." As of today, the reservations are around 30% and although the outlook is good, "uncertainty is the biggest factor. We continue to depend on many variables. We must continue to make an effort to lower the levels of contagion, and that the countries sending tourists see us as a safe destination," he says.

The first two weeks of September are key to knowing how the winter season in the Canary Islands is going to be since during this time it is important to see if there’s movement in the reservation for October onwards.

Smulders is optimistic for winter, albeit cautious. In his opinion, we will have mostly German tourists this winter thanks to the fact that a PCR test is not necessary on their return home, something that the United Kingdom still requires. 'The British are barely moving. Very few can afford a return PCR, which is still expensive in their countries", he said, who confirmed that the planes from the UK are arriving half empty to Lanzarote, although the evolution in Tenerife has been somewhat better.