Luhačovice is intensively dealing with the impact of the emergency on the spa industry and tourism

"

The spa industry and tourism are the driving force of our city. Together we have addressed the urgent situation in which the tourism sector, which is crucial for Luhačovice, now finds itself. We want to coordinate a joint approach with representatives of the various entities and the Governor in order to minimise the impact of the emergency on employment. We do not want to allow mass layoffs, on the contrary, we are trying to find a solution to maintain employment and future job security in the town," noted the mayor of Luhačovice, Marian Ležák.

According to all involved, it is important to join forces to save the entire sector.

"

With the help of the region, we will appeal to the government for quick support for the spa and tourism sector. The current situation is not easy for anyone, but while the overall business environment is constrained in parts, the tourism sector is at

total of 100%

. The city perceives that the potential threat of high unemployment could have fatal effects on the entire region. Our meeting was productive and we all agreed on the need for swift action. I would also like to thank the hotelier Petr Borák for his initiative, on the basis of whose initiative we prepared this meeting," said the Mayor.

The Governor of the Zlín Region is also aware of the importance of the situation.

"

From my point of view, the situation for Luhačovice is tragic and if the restriction of not being able to operate the spa lasts for a long time, the impact would be deadly for the spa.

R

starting again would be long term as people might not come back either. There will be clients, but it is about the employees who are taking care of them," said Jiří Čunek, the governor. The region therefore wants to help in a difficult situation. "We have agreed

also

that at the level of the association of regions, when we are negotiating

as governors

with the government, we will discuss these things and try to achieve concrete help.

The other thing is that

many of the employees of the spa are health care workers and we need those in the county. So we would stand for

getting them into our hospitals or

social

while earning a salary and then be able to

return to the spa when it gets going again

," the governor added.

And how does the county want to help business vis-a-vis government? "We certainly have to stress that the spa is based not only on the environment and the springs, but more importantly on the people. And if they leave and do not return, it will have a tragic consequence for the state and its income. So I will try to make a deal with the government to give direct support to spa entrepreneurs. One that will help them to survive those crucial few weeks, hopefully the situation will not last more than 2 months," the Governor said.

The executive director of Lázně Luhačovice, a.s. outlined the situation in the spa industry. Then they leave and we close all the facilities. We are now talking about how we are going to solve the situation in terms of employment and costs, but it is very difficult to make any predictions. It is also an appeal to the Governor to address the issue of state aid, subsidies for employees and job retention. There are proclamations of help, but there are no clear conditions yet," Dědek said. He also quantified the specific impacts on the largest spa company in Luhačovice. "When we are fully up and running, we have 1.5 million a day in revenue. If we close the whole company, this will be missing, but the costs will remain," Dědek said.

Veronika Záhorská, a representative of another spa group, Royal Spa, the director of Luhačovice's Miramare hotels, said she appreciated that the town hall meeting took place. "For us, probably the most important thing is

how

we met and said,

that

we're in the same boat and it doesn't matter today if we're here for a spa or a hotel.

The big

impacts are and will be, especially on our employees who will have to stay home on some 60% of their salary. We will take the word of the Governor, who reassured us that the bans will gradually be relaxed and hopefully we will see the light at the end of the tunnel and tourism and the spa industry will soon start to return to some normality. Hopefully the state will take a stand and help us," Záhorská said.

Anna Kneblová, owner of the Spa Treatment House Prague, also attended

. "I'm glad

that

we

what exactly who in which business can

do for this situation. Luhačovice

should, in my opinion,

get its act together and ask the state to commission all the facilities in the town as soon as possible. I am

suggesting

thatif we can get the funds to do so, our health facility is willing to do initial coronavirus screenings for other hotels and guesthouses as well, so that the facility can operate while keeping Luhačovice safe," said Anna Kneblová.

Peter Borák, general manager of the Agustinian House Hotel, among others, participated on behalf of the hoteliers. "It's going to have a big economic impact on all of us, the Augustinian is no exception to that,"

he assessed the current situation. It is in unity and cooperation that he sees the possibility of getting tourism in Luhačovice out of its difficult situation. "By coming together to solve this problem, by electing one representative, who will be the mayor, to fight for the whole group and help get government subsidies, can help us. It is the working together that will be important in the near future. The army wins the war, not the soldier in the field alone," Borák noted.

For example, Josef Michálek, director of the Pohoda Hotel, also took a similar view of the situation. "It was very important that we met and the governor arrived. Any solutions we propose today may be different tomorrow because of the change in the situation, but I have a good feeling that we are sticking together. Any rivalry between the various entities has been put aside. We need to keep a cool head, to keep employment as long as possible, but for that we definitely need the government's help, because we simply cannot do it from our own resources," Michálek said.

Categories: News from the city, Luhačovice, COVID-19, Luhačovice Town Hall, City of Luhačovice, Coronavirus