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The Minister of Tourism, Elisabeth Köstinger (ÖVP), has raised the possibility of a corresponding bilateral agreement in the “Press am Sonntag”.
The tourism sector is pressing to open the borders to German tourists. If the borders remain, “then tourism would be dead,” said tourism researcher Andreas Reiter of the “Kleine Zeitung” (Saturday edition). Two thirds of the country’s tourism companies could not survive the absence of the most important group of guests, which generates more than half of the turnover.
“A different kind of vacation”
“We have to be prepared for a different kind of vacation this year. But because we have the spread of the coronavirus relatively under control and, as the federal government, we can already promise to facilitate step-by-step measures we also absolutely believe there will be tourism from summer vacation, “Köstinger told the” Press am Sonntag “.
“The restriction on freedom of travel will remain with us for the next few months. But if countries are also on a very good and positive path, like Germany, there certainly is a possibility that bilateral agreements can be reached,” said Köstinger, without give more details.
Currently, Austria only admits foreign citizens into the country with a negative crown test; the accommodation facilities are officially closed. However, other countries are already making bilateral vacation deals. For example, an airlift for Czech tourists in Croatia is being considered.
Köstinger did not want to give an appointment for the decision to open the border. “There is no deadline, there could be more waves of infection. And it cannot be ruled out that far-reaching measures must be taken again. Until there are medicines and a vaccine, we will have to prepare for massive changes.”
According to Köstinger, there should be a plan for the gradual intensification of catering and tourism by the end of April. There will be “requirements, of course,” such as distance and hygiene standards.
