Belgium's federal government is releasing €7 million to support the hotel sector, which has been hit hard by the health crisis, announced Economy Minister Pierre-Yves Dermagne on Thursday.
In concrete terms, the support measure consists of a reduction in social contributions for a maximum of five employees per establishment, and this for the second quarter of 2021.
The aid is for employers in the sector who have lost at least 60% of their turnover.
The reduction in turnover will be calculated at the level of the legal entity as a whole, which means that the percentage of activity of other functions, such as restaurants or wellness areas, must also be taken into account to determine whether or not the loss of turnover amounts to at least 60%.
Finally, the employer must retain the employees for whom the reduction is applied and provide at least five days of training for all employees by 2021.
"The sector is on the verge of collapse," said Dermagne. "Without support, employers in the sector would be forced to lay off staff. That is why my colleague Frank Vandenbroucke and I agree that there should be an emergency support measure."
The Brussels Times
