“We are looking forward to a difficult period until Christmas and probably a little longer. I believe that it can be expected that there will be some redundancies and not re-employment at the end of the next two months,” says Johannes Skulason. However, a large part of the damage had occurred as soon as the quarantine rules came into force.
Johannes says that it has been argued that airlines and tourism companies that have sold Iceland as a destination do not have full confidence in the stability of the Icelandic government’s decisions today and will therefore think twice before resuming operations in this country.
It is likely that companies will hold their own
“The flow of tourists does not start like a crane being turned off when the rules at the border are changed. The airlines have largely stopped flying and they will think twice, now that there are no clear criteria, “he says.
A large number of people were laid off and have been working on notice since the stricter rules on quarantine upon arrival in the country came into force. Jóhannes says that it can be expected that some of those employees will not be re-hired, as was once expected.
Johannes Skulason, executive director of the Icelandic Tourist Board, believes that many employees will not have the option of re-employment, given the effects of the epidemic.
“There are some companies that are trying to open up this month, but I would think that a large minority does not have to make changes to their staffing,” he says.
Restaurants in the center of Reykjavik are better able to avoid operational difficulties in light of the relaxed rules of the meeting, but hotels have to deal with more difficult conditions.
