As Juozas Tubinas, president of the Klaipėda Hotels and Restaurants Association, told BNS, the number of cancelled hotel reservations increases when a rainy period sets in.
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“The percentage of cancellations increases. And on hot days there is a shortage of places, not everyone who wants to fit in, and hotels run out of places and prices are astronomical, but when the weather is rainy, it’s the opposite, there are many free places,” J. Tubinas told BNS.
According to the head of the association, a significant number of Lithuanians, knowing how changeable summer weather can be, look for hotels at the last minute.
“They book at the last minute because they decide according to the weather conditions – if the weather is bad, then the supply is higher, and the demand is lower, the price drops. And then in such weather, you can stay much cheaper than, say, if it were sunny weather and the price would be higher, because then there would be a shortage of places,” he said.
J. Tubinas says that this summer is worse for Klaipėda’s business than last year, although hotel occupancy reaches 80-90 percent, and in some places even 100 percent.
“It can be said that this year’s summer, of course, it has not ended yet, the situation may still change in August, but from today’s perspective, it is 10-15 percent worse than last year,” he said.
According to the head of the Klaipėda association, business expenses increased this year: wages rose, VAT for hotels increased, energy became more expensive, and considerable debts for heating and electricity accumulated during the long winter.
“The sector earns income (to cover debts incurred in winter – BNS) in summer. If the summer is so bad, there is a risk that those debts may not be covered. The forecast is that some may not survive, especially cafes and restaurants. Some cafes will close,” J. Tubinas asserted.
Meanwhile, Laura Taučiūtė, president of the Palanga Hotels and Restaurants Association, emphasized that it is important not only to cover the expenses accumulated in winter and spring but also to retain staff.
“It’s not just about covering expenses, first of all, we need to retain this year’s employees – salaries are also higher because the minimum wage increased, accommodation conditions became more expensive, as the majority of employees are accommodated,” the head of the organization told BNS.
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L. Taučiūtė also agrees that the rainy period “was definitely felt”: “There is really nothing to be happy about this season. The active season starts at the end of June, and it was definitely not good – just by the weather alone. July is also not cheering. We’ll see what we have in August.”
“Restaurants probably felt it the most, because in the rain people don’t want to leave their homes or hotels. (…) Restaurants are ready to do everything to make guests feel good during the rain, but those guests have to come to the restaurant. When it’s pouring like crazy, you just can’t go out,” L. Taučiūtė asserted.
According to her, Palanga’s cafes complain not only about the lack of visitors but also about their shorter stays: “It’s very bad for seaside cafes, because people simply don’t come and don’t spend as much time as when the weather is good.”
According to her, some vacationers who plan short holidays in Palanga for the sun cancel their rest in rainy weather: “It’s natural that they cancel. Reservations with the possibility of cancellation cost a little more than without cancellation – it can be five or ten euros, but more expensive.”
Meanwhile, Monika Sadauskaitė-Pocė, president of the Lithuanian Rural Tourism Association, says that the number of vacationers in homesteads has not decreased due to rain – those vacationing there rarely cancel reservations.
“People don’t cancel too many reservations. One homestead says: they cancelled one kayak trip for me due to the weather. But with whom I spoke the most, everyone is really happy, there aren’t too many cancellations. Our guests don’t react too much to the worse weather. Maybe they complain a little, grumble, but they still come and look for emotion, detachment, rest, spending time, and finally return to their jobs, to their routine a little refreshed, having a different value of vacation,” M. Sadauskaitė-Pocė told BNS.
According to her, people who decide to relax in homesteads during the rain have various entertainments – walks in nature, forest paths, kayaking, educational events both outdoors and indoors.
“Bread baking, production, gardening education, clay, various crafts. It seems that what people felt somewhere in childhood, perhaps at their grandparents’, now they want to pass on the same emotion to their family, children. But they have nowhere to do it, because they usually don’t have villages. So, when they come to a rural tourism homestead, they get acquainted with the same farm,” said the head of the association.
“New are walks on rivers – also regardless of the weather. Somehow, people’s logic is that there is no such thing as clothing, footwear, and bad weather for rest, recovery, spending time with family,” added M. Sadauskaitė-Pocė.
