On Nov. 12, 2021, AT5 posted an article about the staff shortage at Escort agencies. NH News also reproduced this post. In the article, Yantra explains how the lockdown has affected the sex industry. The AT5 article is here found online or read the full post below:
Escort agencies face huge staff shortage: "I have to cancel eighty percent"
Several escort agencies in the city are facing a significant shortage of staff due to corona. According to escort agency Yantra, many escort ladies have made other career choices during the mandatory closure during corona, which is why the agency is now promising a bonus of 500 euros for each new staff member. "I wouldn't know where all the ladies have gone," he said.
The owner of escort agency Yantra suspects that she has to cancel about eighty percent of all requests at this time. "We were closed for quite a long time because of corona, then a lot of ladies left us. Since we reopened I've only had two applications. Normally I get five emails a month. I normally employ about twenty people, now there are eight. I wouldn't know where all the ladies have gone."Other Amsterdam escort agencies are also facing staff shortages. The Courtesan Club says it could use about fifteen more ladies. "I think the ladies are waiting until corona is really over and I think that makes sense," says owner Gudrun Wilsterman. "People don't want to take an unnecessary risk. I think I have to disappoint about two or three customers a day because there are no ladies available."
Loss
According to Chris Bosman of escort agency Dreams and Desires, the supply of staff is a problem all escort agencies have suffered from for some time. According to Bosman, the main reason is that escort agencies are not allowed to advertise. Nevertheless, he does see an increase recently. "In the last seven months we have been having more and more trouble finding new ladies. I now employ fifteen people, but could easily use ten more." Bosman calls it a luxury problem. "Customers now just have to wait a few days longer."
Escort agency Yantra: "Now that the market is picking up, we really need extra escorts. That's why we are offering five hundred euros to ladies who come to work with us. At the moment we are running at a loss. During the lockdown this was also the case, but at least then we received support."