Flu epidemic on vacation

What to do if you get sick before your vacation

Bed instead of vacation during the vacations is the motto for many compatriots.(Bild: Malena Brenek)

The semester break promises perfect weather for skiing in Upper Austria! But what if you or your children have to stay in bed during the current flu epidemic, meaning your vacation falls through and you are threatened with cancellation costs? There is a solution to save yourself the costs.

A few sunny days are on the horizon during the semester break, but they coincide with the peak of this year's flu epidemic. Last week, the number of reported flu-like infections rose by a third to around 13,300 and the number of genuine flu cases almost doubled to 612 - and this week is likely to be even worse.

For many of our compatriots, this means bed instead of fun on the slopes. Anyone who has booked and has to cancel their hotel stay at short notice usually has to expect a 90 percent cancellation fee. But there is a way to get out of this without any hassle and additional costs: Give your room to someone else!

It was already sunny on the Kasberg on Sunday - and it's getting nicer every day from Monday.(Bild: Bergfex Webcam)

Legal obligation only for package tours
"No hotelier will object if another guest moves into the room," says Gerold Royda, spokesperson for hoteliers in Upper Austria. There is only a legal obligation for package tours if the name change is announced in good time. But only one room can be changed in this case. If you send someone yourself, you don't have to worry about cancellation costs because you know that the landlord is not at a loss. And there is a good chance that spontaneously canceled accommodation will be occupied during the vacations.

If a room canceled due to illness is rented to another guest, for example, the hotelier may not charge any cancellation costs.

Gerold Royda, Obmann der Sparte Tourismus, Wirtschaftskammer

Bild: Denise Stinglmayr

500 euro discount for late bookers
A round call by the "Krone" on Sunday in the classic winter sports resorts of Upper Austria gave the same picture everywhere: "There will be sporadic vacancies, but we are very well booked", according to the tourism centers. If you look at the Internet bookings - we have specified a short trip from tomorrow, Tuesday, to Saturday for a family of four - Windischgarsten is 95 percent fully booked, Hinterstoder 92 percent, Spital am Pyhrn 87 percent, Ulrichsberg 84 percent and accommodation in Grünau is 74 percent full. And the first price reductions are already being offered for the remaining accommodation - the highest was in Windischgarsten, where a chalet is now €500 cheaper.