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.
How is your country dealing with the return of stolen artifacts?
Western nations like Switzerland often have to deal with the process of recovering or returning looted artifacts which have been illegally imported. What’s the situation like in your country?
What do you think Switzerland’s Alain Berset can bring to the Council of Europe?
The former interior minister is to become the first Swiss Secretary General of the Council of Europe – which issues should his five-year term focus on?
Sylvain Saudan, ‘skier of the impossible’, dies aged 87
This content was published on
The Swiss father of extreme skiing pioneered descents from the Alps to the Himalayas – and became the sport’s first star.
Hayek family buys additional Swatch shares for nearly CHF11 million
This content was published on
Following the acquisition of registered shares worth over CHF20.6 million on Monday, the Hayek family made another purchase on Tuesday.
Suicide capsule to be used in Switzerland this year, says euthanasia organisation
This content was published on
The organisation “The Last Resort” has confirmed that the suicide capsule Sarco is to be used in Switzerland. This should happen this year, it said.
Ukrainian children flown to Switzerland for cancer treatment
This content was published on
The Swiss air rescue service Rega flew two Ukrainian children with cancer to Switzerland from a hospital in Kyiv hit by Russian missiles.
Swiss Solidarity raises over CHF10 million for victims of extreme weather
This content was published on
The money raised will be used to help those affected by the recent storms and flooding in the cantons of Ticino, Graubünden, and Valais.
Swiss giant Roche given green light for lung cancer drug in Canada
This content was published on
According to a recent study, Roche’s Alecensaro reduced the risk of recurrence or death by 76% compared to chemotherapy alone.
Swiss luxury watch market hit hard by China-led slump
This content was published on
Sales of Swiss-made luxury watches are in sharp retreat as nervous consumers reconsider splashing out on expensive timepieces and demand slumps.
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.