According to tourism minister Lex Delles (DP) the salary of the new hire will be 80% covered in 2021 by the territorial planning ministry and 70% thereafter, with the remainder being covered by the nature park authority.

The announcement comes after the lake experienced a sharp uptick in visitor numbers in 2020, a result of a government campaign promoting local tourism during the first year of the pandemic and extremely hot weather.

To ensure enough space to allow for physical distancing, visitor numbers were managed through an online booking system and private security agents patrolled the beaches to maintain order.

The measures cost around €162,000, in addition to €85,000 in consultation fees to establish the booking site and app. They were financed by the tourism ministry’s “Fonds de relance”, a specific aid for pandemic-struck business. But the ministry has said it will not cover similar costs in 2021, a decision which was met with disappointment by the commune of Bauschelt.

According to a recent parliamentary question, the lakeside commune authority has decided not to open its beaches to the public in 2021 because security and management costs will no longer be borne by the state.

Delles responded to the question, saying that he was not aware of the decision. He added that the tourism directorate had agreed with the local tourism board and nature park authority to subsidise an analysis of signage around the lake.

In addition, he said the regional tourism board’s app would communicate better with tourists.