News & Stories

Paris. As has been the case across much of Europe, hotels in secondary and resort locations in France have outperformed those in the country’s leading city, Paris, since the end of the lockdown period in late spring, which coincided with beginning of the summer holiday season.

Augsburg. Finally we’re able to travel again... Like millions, both in Germany and in other countries, hospitalityInside correspondents also set out to make their summer trips. They enjoyed their holidays in Germany, Austria, Luxembourg, Italy and Spain and at the same time observed how corona is affecting hotels and destinations. Their experiences provide a clear picture of the chaos as regards the implementation of hygiene rules - from perfectionism to pure sloppiness.

Berlin. German holiday bookings are picking up, but only at extremely short notice and are far from making up for any losses. Among the destinations, Spain and Greece are the most popular destinations.

Newton. The pandemic provokes the first public disputes between owners and operators: a US trust puts IHG under pressure and demands its rents, or 103 hotels lose their contracts. In Amsterdam, the leaseholder of the W Hotel has obtained a preliminary ruling against the owner Deka Immobilien for rent reduction; the outcome is still open, however.

Munich. In the corona chaos of summer 2020, more and more politicians are making seemingly arbitrary decisions with devastating consequences for tourism and the hotel industry: they are imposing overnight stricter quarantine rules, discriminating against travellers from hotspots, imposing renewed curfews, increasing penalties for non-compliance and now panicky increases in testing. In Central Europe, there is nothing but actionism - no one can see through any more.

Madrid. The near-complete lockdown imposed in response to the pandemic led to a 98 percent fall in international tourist numbers in May when compared to 2019. This is the enormous toll of Covid-19 on international tourism, reveals UNWTO: data showing the cost up to May was already three times that of the 2009 Global Economic Crisis.

Berlin. Although the travel warning has been lifted for Europe for just over four weeks, it still applies to 160 countries. And the summer thriller continues, because every country complicates travel with its own restrictions - along the lines of "mask on, mask off, quarantine yes or no". These ups and downs are forcing travelers to their knees even faster - when traveling abroad, but also at home.

Delhi. For India, it all began in Thrissur, district of Kerala, at the tropical Malabar Coast known for its palm-lined beaches and backwaters. It was in this southern part of India that the first Indian tested positive for the dreaded Corona virus or Covid-19. The lockdown leaves deep economic scars in the country and above all unemployment for hundreds of millions of people. In addition to a popular corona app, a renowned technology expert also recommends that the government use technology more intensively for the benefit of the travel industry. We have also asked Puneet Chhatwal, CEO of India's Taj Hotels & Resorts, for a brief comment.

Madrid. The resurgence of Covid 19 is causing Spanish hoteliers to lose hope that the months of July and August could save an already unstable summer season.

Frankfurt/Main. This segment had already been booming in previous years, Corona literally made caravanning explode: New registrations of leisure vehicles reached a record level of almost 55,000 vehicles in the first half of the year. This is around 4 % more than in the first half of 2019.