Tourism is fighting and is being kept afloat with financial aid.
At lunchtime, Chancellor Sebastian Kurz (ÖVP) and Vice Chancellor Werner Kogler (Greens), together with the Minister of Health and the Interior, presented the individual easing steps. Then it was all about the details. Finance Minister Gernot Blümel has presented a new billion-euro package. Education Minister Heinz Faßmann explained what exactly is possible in schools. Tourism Minister Elisabeth Köstinger explained what that means for gastronomy.
Schools and trade lock up – with restrictions. For culture, gastronomy, etc. it will only be possible to restart operations from January 7th. By the end of the year, the companies would be reimbursed 50 percent of their turnover, from January 1st, fixed costs will be reimbursed again.
About the grants in detail:
The sales replacement for December alone will cost the state another billion euros, said Blümel.
To tourism:
It is an extraordinary situation, said Tourism Minister Elisabeth Köstinger. The government is doing everything it can to support the industry well. “Tourism accounts for 15 percent of economic output, taking into account the entire value chain, this affects 750,000 employees in Austria.”
To the schools:
Education Minister Heinz Faßmann stated: “I am aware that the upper school classes have been in distance learning for a very long time.” But this age group in particular has one of the highest daily incidences, surpassed only by the students. The high school students could also most likely learn independently.
