Poll: 37% of accommodation establishments in Bulgaria cut staff in April
About 36.8 per cent of accommodation establishments in Bulgaria reduced staff in April, according to a poll by the National Statistical Institute (NSI), the results of which were released on May 27.
A total of 786 accommodation establishments, including hotels, guest houses and other places, took part in the special poll, done between May 7 and 22 to gather information on the effect of Bulgaria’s State of Emergency measures against the spread of new coronavirus.
About 37.2 per cent of managers sent staff on unpaid leave and 31.7 per cent sent staff on paid leave.
Just less than 20 per cent got funding via the 60:40 measure, by which the Bulgarian state picks up 60 per cent of payroll costs while the employer must cover the other 40 per cent.
Just more than 10 per cent went over to staff working remotely, or cut salaries, the NSI said.
More than 82 per cent of managers reported a decrease in revenue in April compared with March, while 16.5 per cent reported no change in revenue.
About half of those polled intend offering clients an alternative period to use their reservations.
More than two-thirds intend cutting the prices of package services and just less than half intend cutting prices per night, according to the poll.
Close to 57 per cent of the managers were considering keeping their places open in the short term, albeit with reduced volume, about a quarter expected to temporarily suspend business, while close to 14 per cent expect to carry on their business as it was before the State of Emergency.
Only 3.4 per cent expected to close down, the NSI said.
(Photo: Pearlie Ng/freeimages.com)
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