Tourism trade comments on the impact of Ômicron progress on the economy

A recent report by the World Health Organization (WHO) said the Ômicron strain of Covid-19 was already responsible for 60% of cases in the past month. The World Health Organization data also indicates that transmission curves in countries such as Canada and the United Kingdom, which have similar vaccine coverage to that of Brazil, regressed after a month, leading experts to expect a drop in cases at the end of February.

“We have already been affected by several rebooks and even cancellations, as travelers cannot (and should not) board the plane due to the positive effects that are occurring,” says Rodrigo Rodriguez, Schultz Operadora’s commercial director. In the hotel sector, Fernando Canbara, general manager of the Grand Mercure Curitiba Rayon Hotel, noted cancellations and developments in the events sector.

“We are already feeling the impact, even if it is much smaller than what we saw in March 2020. The hybrid model is again an alternative to continuing the agendas – in this sense, we are even evaluating the re-adaptation of part of rooms in a broadcast studio format, which we have done in the past to serve our clients from companies”.

In terms of events, Thais Del Ben, Marketing Director of WTM Latin America, the exhibition scheduled for April 5-7, in São Paulo, addresses the preparation of tourism professionals in the face of the pandemic scenario. “We are not underestimating risks and we need to be vigilant about care and all health protocols and requirements. If expectations confirm and the variable loses its potency, tourism professionals will be more confident, and WTM Latin America will arrive in time to help these companies connect,” he contends.

Atrio Hotel Managment, which specializes in the development, implementation and operation of hotels, comments that the first half of 2022 was the best in the period compared to the previous ten years, driven by the leisure sector.
“We had no impact. We had, of course, the cancellations, but they don’t matter. In absolute numbers, they add up to 2,000 canceled nights, which is about 1% of our monthly volume,” explains Cesar Nunes, Vice President of Sales and Marketing. In the company.

The CEO asserts that, despite his shyness, the corporate sector is increasingly making up the mix that the company offers. “We have a huge demand for budgets for groups and events in the next couple of months.” According to Joao Casero, Director of New Business Development at Livá Hotéis e Entretenimento, the multi-property project sector, he notes that despite the high number of Covid-19 cases, the significant impact has been due to the high amount of rain in Minas Gerais preventing the public from moving Not because of illness.