"Hotels need the confidence to be able to trade viably again as soon as practically possible. "Some will recover faster than others but the sector as a whole needs to see continued government support until the economy is fully reopened. "That means positive action through a targeted package of aid aimed at renewing hope and achieving long-term survival and growth." Mr Swift added: "The hotel sector in the south is tackling an unprecedented number of problems and there will be casualties. "UKHospitality recently reported that the sector has £2.5bn in rent arrears due to the pandemic, further compounding the millions of pounds borrowed through the various Covid loan schemes made available last year.