More than 50% of workers in travel agencies lost their jobs due to the pandemic from March to date, and further layoffs are expected in the next period, according to a survey conducted by the group Subagenti Srbije among 160 agencies.
Subagenti, as an informal group of small travel agencies, says in a statement that in 72.4% of cases these are family businesses, which means that families are completely left without income.
In almost three-quarters of tourism intermediary agencies, the owners are women, who are already considered a very sensitive category in the labour market.
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Without state aid, most of the agencies will be closed at the end of the year, when the second round of government’s business measures expires. These small travel agencies are now asking the government to provide subsidies so that can survive until the situation goes back to normal and for their employees to receive at least the minimum wage.
“To illustrate the gravity of the situation in which we find ourselves both to the public and to the authorities, today we will attach warning tapes on our shop windows, which will indicate that our branch is suffering,” the group said in a statement.
(RTV, 25.11.2020)
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