A hotel boss says a summer shutdown of the sector in Wales would be "disastrous" for his site, the resort and North Wales.
First Minister Mark Drakeford this weekend said while the self catering sector may be able to reopen in the coming weeks it would be "much harder" to allow hotels to open due to the greater risk of infections spreading because of shared facilities.
In the Welsh Government briefing today he added that while he had "huge sympathy" with the sector there had to be community consent to opening up tourism over fears an influx of people could also increase infection rates in North Wales.
Welsh Government response in full.
But for many who have already lost the entire spring to coronavirus this could spell closure and massive job losses.
The owners of Llandudno's St George's Hotel said it would have a devastating impact and in what has already been a difficult period for the resort.
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Tony Burns, group operations director, Anderbury Hotel Collection, said: " If we can’t open for at least August or September it will be disastrous for St George's , Llandudno, North Wales.
"70% of our business is in the summer months with this denied our businesses will be devastated and we can’t get through winter without having managed to salvage some part of the summer’s revenues
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"Such a statement by the First Minister to make, when there is so much uncertainty and there’s eight to nine week before August, as we see the European countries are opening up their tourism and hospitality businesses controlled and with due care but they are open.
"There was hope that in some way this would happen at least in August now with this statement that hope and many futures are extinguished."
Mr Drakeford added that he did want to offer "some relief" to the tourism sector over the summer and did not rule out a return to opening up sections of the industry.
But he added that it will not mean going back to "operating as though coronavirus never happened".
Welsh Government later released this statement.
Aberconwy MS Janet Finch-Saunders said: “I am disappointed by the First Minister’s remarks over the weekend. I know that many Welsh businesses will be alarmed at his suggestion that there may be little change to his approach to the tourism sector in 2020.
“It should go without saying that the health and safety of residents should be the primary concern for all public officials.
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"However, the First Minister would also do well to remember that people’s hard-earned livelihoods and the Welsh economy is at stake."
Jim Jones, the chief executive of North Wales Tourism, said: “I have every confidence that our tourism and hospitality sector will ensure they can provide safe environments and implement effective social distancing measures.
“Our sector has done everything asked of it to date and we would urge the Welsh Government to give us a more positive steer in relation to the way forward.
“Other countries are offering hope and optimism through providing timelines for opening. If we don’t move soon it will be catastrophic to the many livelihoods and communities that are so heavily reliant on this important part of the economy which usually generates more than £3.2 billion in revenue every year and provides employment for more than 40,000 people.
“Llandudno is an example of how difficult it is going to be for destinations with a number of hotel closures, especially if they don’t get an opportunity to make the most of July and August.
“What they need is a date they can work towards to reopen which will allow them to plan properly and be ready. Currently they are all in limbo which is causing unnecessary anxiety at this stage.
“So much is being said of the outdoor actitivies being better than being indoors in terms of the risk of virus transmission.
“Our National Parks, outdoor attractions such as the Welsh Mountain Zoo, caravan and holiday parks, camping and glamping sites and self-catering accommodation in particular are well placed for socially-distanced breaks and should be open as quickly as possible.”