Big-lost hotel, no concrete date for opening wedding halls

Only 3m euros were offered to these sectors, which includes 20 thousand businesses, which amounts to about 130 euros in business financial support.

Kosovo Tourism Union Chairman Baki Hoti told Kosovapress that during the pandemic, huge losses have suffered, and the budget-sharing amount for this sector in the recovery package has been very small.

He said that in the new package of recovery, they have sought not to share budgetary means, but to develop tourism in Kosovo, which would affect many benefits for businesses.

We, like the Kosovo Tourism Union, have understood that somewhere we have 90% of the sectors that have been damaged. The accommodation sector, the hotel sector, has a nearly 90% damage, then the part of the tourist guide, which has not worked at all and is not actually supported by institutions, not only but the entire tourist agency sector. These operators, transport agencies and gastronomial sector that at least worked, even though there were tremendous restrictions... In the sector's recovery package, the tourism sector has been offered 3m euros, a support that has been included around 20 thousand businesses that have also been part of wedding halls, pool parts, and divided it, has dropped some 120-130 euros for any business we give, and it has been unacceptable on our side”, Hoti said.

In the new recovery package being drafted by the Government, The UTK in co-operation with the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Intervention (MINT) has proposed not to share budgetary means for the businesses of these sectors, but to invest in tourism development and the bringing of tourists to our country.

The “is working on a package for the recovery of the tourism sector. The ministry and government are drafting it and UTK at the request and in co-operation with MINT and at the recommendation of Minister Roseta Hajdari himself, we have compiled a 20-page document, where we have given our recommendations on how to develop this sector and what should be done and how much this phase of this recovery will cost. We didn't ask and we didn't go to ask for budgetary tools, so before giving businesses, but to look at another option that is very good, and to contribute to tourism development and the behavior of tourists in Kosovo”, Hoti said.

While it had been said that the date for opening wedding halls would be known, Hoti says there is still no concrete date for opening this sector and for starting this season.

We're part of the working team within the Health Ministry and the manuals we've sent to the Ministry of Health and there they're analyzing them, examining them. I believe and I wish it would become the best possible for this sector to open up in general, and the wedding sector because it's a lot of businesses and it's a huge influence, but once again I'm posting it all is health protection”, Hoti said.

By contrast, the tourism sector has been severely affected in the time of the COVID-19 pandemic, with a decline in the number of international visitors about 70 percent and a decline in revenues from this sector over 90 percent. The guide sector is the most affected sector with 82. 71 percent in the pandemic, followed by the accommodation sector at 74.84 percent, then the air transport and road sector at 71.26 percent. The tourist agency has also seen 66 percent decline, and gastronomy 55.53 percent. /