Labor reform worries the tourism sector in Colombia due to increased costs and changes in working hours.

This Thursday, it was confirmed that the labor reform conciliation is ready. House Representative María Fernanda Carrascal, the bill's sponsor and conciliator, announced that the same text approved in the Senate will be adopted.

"We have decided that, given that the Senate has adopted more than 85 percent of the text we negotiated over two years and that some very regressive articles were repealed, we will adhere to that text. We believe it improves some of the reform's points ," Carrascal concluded.

Given this new scenario, various sectors have begun to speak out about the key changes that will begin to be implemented in the workplace. One of these is the tourism industry, which has expressed concerns about the potential impact of the new measures.

One of the changes, for example, is the adjustment in the start of the night shift, which will go from 9:00 pm to 7:00 pm. This particular point has generated alerts in the hotel and travel sector, as many companies operate extended hours and on weekends and holidays.

José Andrés Duarte, executive president of the Colombian Hotel and Tourism Association (Cotelco), warned EL TIEMPO that the impact of the reform would be significant because it imposes new economic pressure on formal lodging establishments.

Duarte mentioned that the fact that night shifts must be paid legally starting at 7:00 p.m. in a sector that operates virtually 24 hours a day could translate into additional costs of nearly 180 billion pesos, based on the minimum wage.

"We have a difficult-to-accept revenue pattern, and now we're adding a new burden that implies higher costs and more fixed charges for formal establishments , which, in addition to paying taxes, provide quality and safety. This contrasts with a type of accommodation (informal accommodations) that is growing and contributes nothing of the sort," Duarte added.

He also explained that the sector, characterized by its large workforce, will be forced to evaluate its operating conditions to determine how to sustain itself not only in the face of informality, but also in the face of "these additional costs and burdens ."

"Many establishments will have to consider, for example, reducing their hours, which will translate into less competitiveness. We will lose the ability to generate satisfaction that, compared to many other countries, we have been offering to national and international tourists: a much more comprehensive service," he asserted.

Duarte also mentioned that, despite having proposed to both the Senate and the House of Representatives the possibility of considering specific measures for the hotel industry that would allow for differential treatment of working hours in these establishments, these measures were not accepted .

For her part, Paula Cortés Calle, CEO of Anato, explained to this outlet that the increase in labor costs will have a considerable impact on the tourism sector , one of the busiest sectors on holidays, Sundays, and at night.

"We believe that the increases are gradual is positive. This gives us the opportunity to readjust internally. However, our point is that the simultaneous implementation of all these changes significantly affects such a fragile sector , comprised mostly of small and medium-sized businesses," he noted.

Cortés Calle warned that, taken together, these measures could discourage hiring, increase informality, and jeopardize the sustainability of travel agencies. "This reform, although it brings progress in labor rights, has, to a certain extent, ignored the economic conditions of the productive sectors," said Cortés Calle.

Despite this, the union leader acknowledged positive aspects for the union, such as formalization and social security contributions for microenterprises, which can now be made part-time , that is, for days worked. This represents a relief, especially during low seasons or when intermittent contracts are used.

“This reform has direct implications for the travel industry, a sector that operates seven days a week, with extended hours, and also relies on flexible work models. We are concerned that this action ignores the realities of our business owners, especially MSMEs, which represent the majority of the sector ,” the union leader concluded.

ANGIE RODRÍGUEZ - TRAVEL EDITORIAL - @ANGS0614