80% of establishments are still closed

“This is one of the worst moments that the hotel industry is going through. Before with the help of the ATP it was sustained a little more, but now it is dramatic ”said Ariel Amoroso, president of that entity. "80% of the hotels are still closed and it is not known which ones will reopen and which ones will not," he said. "In fact, there are many hotels for sale, but with this scenario there are no buyers," he remarked.

In this regard, it is enough to enter the real estate sale sites to show that new offers are added to the portals daily. Most are small hotels or boutiques that can no longer sustain themselves without demand.

The truth is that the hotel industry in general faces an unprecedented crisis. On the one hand, there is no tourism, there are fewer flights, there are no fairs or congresses. In short, there are no guests to alleviate the situation that the establishments are going through both in Buenos Aires and in the rest of the country.

"There is no demand to open for now, it is more expensive to open with little occupancy than to remain closed," assured Roberto Amengual, president of the Association of Tourism Hotels (AHT) and of the Amerian hotel chain, who it continues with the gates closed in the city.

"Opening without demand implies losing more money in a situation where no more can be lost," he concluded.

While waiting for a possible support from the Ministry of Tourism of the Nation, the hoteliers assure that it is already too difficult for them to hold out. Conversions are not easy either. Although some chose to transform themselves into apartments or offer their gyms, it all implies an investment that is not so profitable either.

According to a recent survey carried out by the AHT, the forecasts for this month do not feed the hopes of reaching sustainable occupancy levels in the establishments. In fact, according to a survey carried out among members of the sector, during February the hotels of the City of Buenos Aires will not only not recover, but will lose occupancy since it is estimated to reach only a dramatic 10%. This number reflects and deepens the crisis that hotels have been going through for almost a year when the quarantine was decreed in Argentina.

Although the Federal Capital is one of the most affected, the situation is also replicated in other parts of the country where tourists are scarce.