Allowing 100 people or more into venues and opening up domestic borders will help hotels and hospitality services but it may not be feasible to open all hotel restaurants until people return the office, Doma Hotels says.

The Canberra-based provider has already reported an uptick in business since restrictions were eased, having welcomed more than 700 guests to its various locations throughout the long weekend.

But Director Patrick Lonergan told WILLIAMS MEDIA the hotels "were still an awfully long way" from being at full capacity.

At a glance:

• DOMA Hotels Director Patrick Lonergan said there is still a long way to go for the accommodation sector, despite a strong showing across the long weekend.
• According to Mr Lonergan, it may still not be feasible to open all our hotel restaurants until people return to the office.
• Mr Lonergan has also encouraged the government to maintain its Jobkeeper program until the first quarter of next year.

"I look forward to welcoming more guests back to our hotels, restaurants and bars and returning more staff back to permanent work," he said.

“Allowing 100 people or more into venues and opening up domestic borders will help our hotels and hospitality services, but we will still be reliant on demand.

hotel_realm_room.jpg

Source: DOMA Hotels

"Until people return to the office it may still not be feasible to open all our hotel restaurants that cater for this local work force.”

Mr Lonergan said the possibility that governments would view the removal of restrictions as an end game and cease supports such as JobKeeper was also a concern.

“The Federal Government must be commended on the JobKeeper program, which has enabled our business to keep staff on and remain connected to our employees," he said.

"However, until all businesses are back to work as normal and international travel resumes, our industry cannot fully bounce back.

“Our corporate clients are telling us it could still be many months until all their staff are back working in their offices and perhaps even longer than that before any real volume of business travel returns.

“If JobKeeper is not maintained through at least the first quarter of next year, employment in the accommodation and hospitality sector may be harder hit than it was at the peak of COVID, and we may certainly have to consider staff reductions if this support is removed before our corporate and leisure guests resume regular travel.”

Similar to this: 

Doma Group begins construction of Little National Hotel, Sydney CBD

DOMA lodges development application for 42 Honeysuckle Drive

Hotel industry praised by NSW Government for its contribution to fighting COVID-19