By Laura Kemp • Published: 21 Apr 2020 • 15:08
THE hospitality sector in Spain makes up for more than 300,000 businesses and employs over 1.7 million people, contributing millions to the economy and making up approximately 6.2 per cent of Spain’s GDP.
When the Minister of Labour, Yolanda Diaz, stated there was a possibility that many establishments in the industry would not be able to reopen until the end of the year, many business owners were outraged at her casual attitude about this.
The president of this sector was alarmed that it was not feasible for “companies to be closed for nine months” and that although these “businesses have no income they have to keep paying bills every month, such as electricity, water, gas.”
In regard to social distancing measures, Yzuel has affirmed that employers are already working towards creating a certification which accredits that establishments are adopting adequate safety measures against the coronavirus in order to attract customers in optimal conditions.
This certification must be proven through certain requirements such as the use of thermal cameras to detect who has a fever and may be suspected of having the disease in order to prevent them from accessing the premises.
Alongside this, establishments should certify that they have disinfectant hydrogels, prove they undergo extreme cleaning, that their employees are tested, and that they have ozone in the air conditioning pipes as this prevents the system form spreading the virus.
Yzuel also points out that they should increase the distance between tables on the terraces, an area that he considers to be a “basic” necessity for the survival of the sector. “Right now, these spaces must be valued because they are open-air spaces where contamination and pollution is more complicated,” continues Yzuel.
Furthermore, Yzuel has launched an ‘SOS’ to the Executive for them to offer solutions to the crisis they are experiencing: “Let us help you…. We are experts in our area, we know the most and we can help them,” he says.
Yzuel also celebrates that there is a predisposition to carry out a de-escalation phase by territories since “the virus has not affected Madrid in the same way as it does Andalucia or other regions,” he points out.
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Originally from UK, Laura is based in Axarquia and is a writer for the Euro Weekly News covering news and features. Got a news story you want to share? Then get in touch at editorial@euroweeklynews.com.
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