Nicola Sturgeon said she hoped the reopening of the tourist season next week would help Macdonald Hotels as it faces the threat of 106 job losses at its Aviemore resort.
The first minister said the Scottish Government would try to offer as much support as was “feasible” during an “incredibly difficult” time, as hotels struggle with the economic impact of the coronavirus.
Around 95 of these employees, currently residing within staff accommodation, may also be evicted as a result.
When the firm’s plight was brought up at her daily coronavirus briefing, Ms Sturgeon said the Scottish Government would “try and offer whatever support and help we can” to the company and employees.
“For some of them it is not just their jobs affected here, but it is also their accommodation,” she said.
The first minister confirmed Tourism Secretary Fergus Ewing had met with the company, which had been offered support from Pace, the Scottish Government task force sent into struggling companies in an attempt to save jobs.
Ms Sturgeon said: “This is an incredibly difficult time for hotels and other parts of the hospitality and tourism sector. For a company like Macdonald Hotels, I know there is an impact on big-scale events and conferences with them not being possible right now.
“We will work with individual companies and sectors as closely as possible to try to provide as much help as it is feasible for us to do.”
Allowing companies to get trading again and start to do business and make money is obviously the key thing we are seeking to try to do.”
Nicola Sturgeon
Ms Sturgeon said she was hopeful of announcing within 24 hours that Scotland was moving into phase three of its route map out of lockdown, which will include the reopening of hotels and tourism on July 15.
“I will confirm this in parliament tomorrow, but the move into phase three will allow us to open up tourism from the middle of next week,” the first minister said.
“It will not solve all of the problems for a company like Macdonald Hotels, but will start to allow them to welcome back guests. And allowing companies to get trading again and start to do business and make money is obviously the key thing we are seeking to try to do.”