‘Don’t let the tourism and conference infrastructure within sight of the port still go to waste now that few foreign guests are coming to our country.’ This call is made today by a group of entrepreneurs including coach companies, hotels, canal boats, conference venues and travel companies in a letter to Prime Minister Rutte and the Cabinet. They argue for customization for companies in their sectors, which are struggling with overcapacity and high capital costs.
Few opportunities to cut costs
‘It is crucial for our companies and industries that the envisaged relaxations of the corona measures as of September 20 continue unabated,’ the entrepreneurs write also on behalf of their industries in their cry for help to the Prime Minister. But they emphasize that even with a relaxation, they will not be out of the woods yet. ‘Macro’ views may be going well, at the micro level the story is very different. ‘In our capital-intensive businesses – such as those with hefty fleets, fleets, several hotel properties, or huge prepaid travel deposits – we have few opportunities to cut costs while the flow of business (foreign) visitors and tourists is not yet underway. And adjusting business models thoroughly takes time; more time than we will have now if the support stops at the end of the third quarter.’
High capital charges
The entrepreneurs are asking the government – which will discuss whether or not to continue the support this Friday in the Council of Ministers – for understanding for their situation and above all for tailor-made solutions so that their businesses, too, have prospects for the future. Together with representatives of their industry associations, they want to sit down with the cabinet to find solutions to the high capital costs. In addition to the specific problem of capital-intensive companies, they also sound the alarm once again about the reduction of problematic debts, for which a solution must also be found to prevent companies from going bankrupt even though they are fundamentally sound.
