Escalating COVID-19 cases are wreaking havoc on the hospitality industry, with occupancy rates in Taipei last week dropping below 20 percent, prompting hotels to roll out cutthroat promotions.
Although health authorities have refrained from raising virus alert levels during this outbreak, people are voluntarily avoiding going out after daily cases reached more than 60,000 last week with no sign of stabilizing.
Popular buffet restaurants Eat Together (饗食天堂), Hilai Restaurant (漢來海港餐廳), Brasserie (柏麗廳) at Regent Taipei (台北晶華酒店) and Recipe (探索廚房) at Le Meridien all suspended afternoon meals this month to reduce their losses.
Photo courtesy of the Feast & Food Gourmet Group
Guestroom staffers have been processing cancelation requests nonstop and might have to introduce unpaid leave if the situation fails to improve soon.
Taiwan is seeking to coexist with COVID-19 like the US, Europe and Southeast Asian countries.
Hotels and restaurants are again bearing the brunt during the transition, as evidenced by sluggish Mother’s Day sales earlier this month, and are expecting sluggish business over the Dragon Boat Festival next month and the summer vacation unless virus infections come under control soon.
Formosa International Hotels Corp (晶華國際酒店集團), My Humble House Group (寒舍集團) and Taoyuan’s Yaward Resort (悅華大酒店) have launched promotions to drive up occupancy rates, while some other hotels said they are encouraging workers to use their annual leave.
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