Keeping it open for vaccinated and convalescent people under certain conditions - possibly with test requirements in 2-G-plus strategies: From Dirk Iserlohe's point of view, the state-prescribed concepts are more of a burden than help.

But the chairman of the supervisory board of the Dorint Hotels does not call for a waiver of all the protective requirements - on the contrary.

"We need a lockdown and not a half-hearted solution", Iserlohe says in an interview with the FAZ. "I fear that we will have to decide on a lockdown much too late," he adds.

But then he would again have several weeks behind him with additional losses that the state would not even come close to making up for.

Timo Kotowski

Editor in business.

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Iserlohe, who runs the Dorint holding company Honestis, stands out in the German accommodation industry with his demand. Other industry representatives are currently warning that everything should be done to prevent worse - a widespread lockdown. Iserlohe argues differently. From his point of view, the current variant is economically worse.

"I admit that my request sounds strange at first," says Iserlohe.

He even sued against bans on accommodation in the pandemic.

Like many industry representatives, he saw the hotel industry as a pawn sacrifice so that other industries could stay open in the pandemic.

The fact that he is still calling for the hotel lockdown is due to the regulations for state bridging aid for companies: "For large companies, the aid under the new 2-G requirements is of no use because they have already exhausted the maximum possible amount."

"Every day brings new losses"

He expects 12 million euros in bridging aid for the year to come, plus 40 million euros due to earlier closure orders. He is currently not allowed to claim more. And according to his calculation, that means for the Dorint Hotels: "We will only get about 54 percent of the damage we have suffered reimbursed by the end of the year." Other companies would get a higher share. "Larger hotel chains are discriminated against, and the damage continues to run up for us as well," complains Iserlohe. "Currently every day with cancellations brings new losses."

The cause of his displeasure is a legal cover for the bridging aid. This is often sufficient for individual hotels, but chains can only claim the maximum amount once for all locations together. “Why should I stay with 70 million euros in damage while the losses for others are covered? I am not calling for a company to be favored. But it is hard to see why small companies get relatively more support, ”he railed. The larger the company, the smaller the proportional reimbursement.

Since Dorint is not the largest in the industry with almost 60 hotels in Germany, Iserlohe estimates that some competitors receive less than half of the damage suffered, possibly only a third of it, compensated.

Only one political decision could make his demand for a break in lodging superfluous: the cover for bridging aids had to be lifted.

And that is by no means unaffordable for the state in view of the recent increase in tax revenues.

"The chain operations would need a total of 2 to 3 billion euros in order to be on an equal footing with smaller companies," Iserlohe calculates and, in his own words, has already included large restaurateurs and some retailers.

Meetings are absent in business

The pandemic of the past few weeks has left its mark on his booking statistics. In September, his rooms were almost 57 percent occupied, in October - also thanks to the autumn vacationers - 59 percent. For November it should be only 42 percent according to the current status, in December 26 percent. The fact that the houses are not even emptier is due to vacationers. “Otherwise we would have Christmas parties, shareholders' meetings, conferences and seminars at this time. But more of these bookings break away every day, ”he says.

However, temporarily closing hotels on one's own initiative and sending employees completely on short-time work without state requirements is no way out.

In lease contracts, operator obligations are sometimes stipulated, and even an empty hotel cannot do without employees, as the technology and water pipes have to be checked.

Even during previous bans on accommodation, he was therefore unable to completely reset a hotel.