The Omicron virus variant has significantly changed pandemic events and public perception. The case numbers, and with them the number of employees who are absent, are skyrocketing to previously unknown levels. The result is outages in tourist supply and excessive demand. For guests — and therefore for tourism providers — transparent communication is now particularly important.
Due to high staff shortages due to isolation and quarantine, more and more companies are having to reduce their supply so that they can still manage it with the available employees. Tourism providers, their suppliers and companies from all other industries are affected by this. Among healthcare personnel in the region, the infection figures in the first week of the year are still very manageable. However, failures due to isolation and quarantine, together with high patient numbers from the pandemic, are currently identified as the biggest risk.
Meanwhile, it is still unclear how much the Omicron wave will put patients on hospitals. Omicron is the dominant variant and there is increasing evidence that it results in milder overall processes than previous variants. However, due to the sheer number of infections, many hospitalizations must be expected even if the proportion of more severe cases of the disease is lower than before. Further measures taken by the federal government to protect the healthcare system against overload cannot therefore be ruled out.
Negative demand effects due to Omicron are possible
Demand for overnight stays and other tourist offers is very encouraging, with guests from the home market of Switzerland and local European markets dominating. After the brilliant holidays and the traditional “January hole”, the region is therefore preparing for strong business for the sports and carnival holidays from the end of January. For the first time since the start of the pandemic, however, the number of infections is also very high. Even though a large proportion of those affected have only mild symptoms or no symptoms at all, they must isolate themselves for 10 days.
You can't show up at work, but you can't travel for the weekend or vacation either. This currently affects around 150,000 people in Switzerland who are themselves in isolation or quarantine. In addition, there are probably more people from their environment who also do not travel. In addition to these direct victims, it can also be assumed that the very high infection figures are unsettling an increasing number of consumers and thus preventing them from traveling and other activities.
In summary, it must be assumed that even during the very well-booked sports and carnival vacation season, there is a certain risk of short-term cancellations that cannot be replaced by new bookings. The task force has now published scenario W18 for this purpose.
Transparent communication in times of crisis
With regard to sports and carnival holidays, there is uncertainty not only among providers, but also among guests. Gaps in the tourist offer due to a lack of staff, the specific risk of infection or general uncertainty can be reasons for guests to refrain from planning holidays or weekend trips. That is precisely why it is now important to inform guests openly and honestly about the current situation.
Specifically, the management of the task force recommends that the current offer be published on the websites of the companies and the destination as well as on social networks and that information be provided transparently upon request. Whitewashing, “salami tactics” or refusal to provide information destroy guests' trust and cause lasting damage to the company or the region.
Winter scenarios
The update from January 7, 2022 is available for download here
The Corona II Engadin Task Force
The most important sectors of Upper Engadin tourism, healthcare and the destination organization Engadin St. Moritz founded the “Corona II Engadin” task force in summer 2020. It has set itself the goal of supporting businesses in the Maloja region during the pandemic.
Since November 2020, at the invitation of the task force, all municipalities in Südbünden have also been meeting for a weekly exchange of information about the pandemic and discussing their measures to do so. The task force also coordinates its work with cantonal authorities and supports them with larger projects. The task force is financially supported by the destination organization and the municipalities of the Maloja region. It is managed by Jan Steiner from the destination organization and Christian Gartmann, who created it.
Corona II Engadin Task Force
Christian Gartmann | +41 79 355 78 78 | christian@gartmann.biz
Jan Steiner | +41 79 686 91 91 | jan.steiner@estm.ch