Tour group blames coronavirus for 70 Swiss job cuts
The Swiss travel and tourism sector has been hard hit by the effects of the coronavirus crisis.
Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
German tour operator TUI is to close eight of its 62 branches in Switzerland with the loss of around 70 jobs, owing to the effects of the coronavirus crisis.
This content was published on
1 minute
Keystone-SDA/jc
“We are assuming we will organise around 70% fewer trips than originally planned this summer,” says TUI Switzerland’s managing director Philipp von Czapiewski in a press release on Wednesday.
The six Swiss branches in question, all in German-speaking Switzerland, will be closed by the end of September. According to the company, the resulting 70 job cuts will be implemented as far as possible through measures such as early retirements or reductions in working hours.
TUI Switzerland currently employs 468 people. Like other companies in the tourism sector, it has not been spared the effects of coronavirus confinement measures and border closures, which prevented people travelling abroad between mid-March and mid-June.
At the end of June, Swiss tour operator Hotelplan announced it was cutting around 430 jobs, including 170 in Switzerland. Media reports also said airport ground services and baggage handler Swissport was set to cut more than half of its workforce in Britain because of coronavirus.
More
More
Hotelplan cuts jobs amid coronavirus
This content was published on
Swiss tour operator Hotelplan is cutting around 430 jobs, including 170 in Switzerland as the coronavirus crisis takes a toll on the travel industry.
Should Switzerland take measures to support its struggling industries?
Industrial policies are back in fashion, not only in the United States but also in the EU. Should Switzerland, where various industries are struggling, draw inspiration from such policies?
This content was published on
Economics Minister Guy Parmelin and Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis have welcomed Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang to Bern
Michelle Hunziker to co-present Eurovision Song Contest
This content was published on
Swiss-Italian television moderator Michelle Hunziker will be one of the presenters of the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest (ESC), scheduled for May 13-17 in Basel.
Business travellers face highest public transport costs in Switzerland
This content was published on
Public transport ticket prices for adults in Switzerland are around the European average, according to a study. Swiss senior citizens and business travellers tend to pay more.
This content was published on
The amount of unproductive land in Switzerland has hardly changed in recent decades. Nationwide, it shrank by around 2% between 1985 and 2018.
Rescue teams had hands full at Lauberhorn ski race
This content was published on
From broken bones to heart attacks, the rescue teams had a busy weekend at the Ski World Cup in Wengen, which attracted a record 80,000 fans.
Swiss solar company Meyer Burger secures additional financing
This content was published on
The bridge financing concluded to stabilise the Swiss company has been extended and increased. The company has also launched a takeover process.
Centre Party president rules out run for Swiss government post
This content was published on
Outgoing Centre Party president Gerhard Pfister will not join the race to replace defence minister Viola Amherd in the Swiss government, the politician announced on Saturday.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Geneva hotel sector feels devastating impact of Covid-19
This content was published on
The coronavirus pandemic has wreaked havoc in Geneva’s hotel sector, which relies heavily on international visitors and conferences.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.