More than half of restaurant bookings have been cancelled over the Christmas period due to the surge in COVID-19 cases, with patrons either in quarantine or exercising caution, according to the Association of Catering Establishments.
Staff parties and large group events have “really fizzled out”, its secretary Matthew Pace said, with the rise in cases leaving a “severe impact” on the industry.
“These events are what makes it happen for catering establishments around the festive season,” Pace said.
Until a few weeks ago, the industry was booming. But the introduction of mandatory mask-wearing outdoors, he said, had made people put their guard up again. Events, functions and large group bookings for the festive season slowly started to be cancelled.
“Now, the rising number of infections and the multiplier effect of contacts in quarantine has had a major impact on the industry,” Pace said.
He was unable to quote precise figures but spoke from members’ feedback.
Passing trade remained consistent but companies were pulling out of staff meals to avoid mingling or because people were stuck indoors, he continued.
As for New Year’s Eve, hotels have seen some cancellations of activities but while restaurants have reported a slowdown in bookings, few bookings have actually been cancelled so far, the Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association said.
The amount is “more or less what we would consider to be normal”.
The Malta Entertainments Industry and Arts Association is expecting between 20 and 25 per cent of bookings to be no-shows at seated events, which are still allowed, but has not seen cancellations of events so far.
Everything is going as planned, said its president Howard Keith Debono, with the ticketing trends of Malta Spectacular, for example, continuing normally.
Both shows are practically sold out and any cancelled bookings were nothing out of the ordinary, he said.
Some stand-up events, which have been banned from tomorrow, Monday, can be adapted to be seated, he pointed out.
The measure, he added, was “clearly” directed at the bars, which have been completely out of control.
“People are rightfully fed up. I am guessing you will have a mix of the super conservative and extra scared by nature and those who have had enough and just want to enjoy themselves.”