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FFor many people who have spent the past few weeks mostly within its four walls due to crown constraints, the prospect of a summer vacation should be a ray of hope. However, it is still unclear whether and in what ways the beach or mountain vacation can take place in the summer.
The EU Commission has developed guidelines for the tourism sector to provide guidance to member states and businesses. They give you an idea of what the holidays could be like this season.
In various documents and guidelines, officials from the powerful EU authority have explained how tourist regions and travel providers can ensure the safety of visitors in the coming months. Commission Vice President Margrethe Vestager and Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton plan to present the plans to the public on Wednesday. Drafts of communication and guidelines are available for WELT.
The guidelines “would establish a coordinated framework that will allow all of Europe to benefit from a relaxing and, above all, safe, summer season,” the authors of the document write. To immediately warn that the protection of the population and the need to travel must be constantly weighed in the coming months.
In some places, the guidelines are surprisingly specific, for example, when it comes to which disinfectants should be used. Other requirements are frustratingly general, especially when it comes to the conditions under which you must be allowed to travel again. The logic behind this: individual locations, regions and countries should be able to find rules that are appropriate to their situation.
Despite this freedom, member countries are likely to adhere to the Brussels guidelines. Not only because they offer guidance and guarantee a minimum level of protection, but also because classic tourist countries like Austria or Greece depend on foreign guests. Therefore, uniform European standards that travelers can trust everywhere are also of interest to hosts.
Non-discrimination at the border.
The tourism industry and politicians have in recent weeks called for the reopening of borders in Europe in a coordinated manner. “Free movement is a central part of the internal market,” MEP Andreas Schwab (CDU) recently warned in a letter to Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
The Commission is sending a warning, particularly to Austria and other holiday countries that have been rushing with mind games about Covid passports and bilateral travel deals in recent weeks. Right at the beginning of the article “Tourism and travel in 2020 and beyond”, the authors made it clear that there should not be a two-tier society in Europe during the summer holidays.
It is said that if Member States open their borders, they should not discriminate. Whenever one Member State opens its border to another, this should apply “without discrimination to all people living in that area, regardless of whether they are citizens of the Member State in question. For the citizen, this means clarity on where to go and allows him to plan. “
The Brussels guidelines also show that hoteliers have to expect considerable additional effort. Therefore, the Commission recommends that national governments treat smaller hotels and pensions less strictly than large companies. States must ensure that the rules are “adjusted and proportional to the size and type of service offered by the hotel industry,” the document says.
Accommodation offered on AirBnB and similar platforms should not be excluded in any way from the measures. The alternative rules for private accommodation, apartments and holiday homes should in no case jeopardize the health of guests at night.
Basically tourists should only be able to travel where the level of Covid-19 infections is low. But even there, tourists are likely to constantly face the threat of the corona virus. Upon entering the home, reception, and bathrooms, the graphics are designed to alert guests to Covid-19 signs and symptoms. Disinfectants should be available at the reception and elsewhere, and guests should register using their smartphone or self-service terminals if possible.
Plexiglass panels at the reception.
In fact, these measures are likely to pose challenges for hosts who value a relaxed or dignified environment. In well-visited hotels, guests should be prepared for reception staff to protect themselves from infections with Plexiglas glass or paneling. The Commission also recommends distance marks on the floor.
Hoteliers must provide handkerchiefs and wastebaskets in rooms and in areas used by many guests. If possible, elevators should only be shared by people living in the same room. People who are fit enough should be encouraged to climb stairs. “Priority in lifts should be given to people with physical disabilities or who have to carry luggage,” says the guide.
In general, guests should be able to maintain a safe distance of 1.5 to two meters in common areas where they last more than 15 minutes, which should reduce the risk of infection. If distance cannot be guaranteed, masks should be used, the Commission warns. Of course, the distance requirement does not apply to people traveling together or sharing a room.
Food behind Plexiglas: a woman with a face mask in a cafe in Italy
Source: dpa
These conditions are challenging in restaurants and breakfast rooms. The document writes that there should be values for the maximum number of guests for restaurants, cafes, bars and lobbies. The commission recommends a distance of two meters between the tables.
Whenever possible, food should be served at the table instead of letting guests go to the buffet for self-service. When this is not possible, guests should disinfect their hands multiple times: upon entering the restaurant or guest room, before self-service at the buffet, and when leaving the buffet.
It is better not to use changing rooms
“Fixed time slots should be assigned for meals or gym and spa visits, or there should be the option to book slots digitally,” the newspaper says.
Changing rooms should preferably not be used, instead guests should change into their room. Outside, there should be a distance of two meters between the sun loungers and the tables, and bathers should also keep the distance in the pool if they are not traveling together.
Hosts should also take special care of children, the sick, and older guests. Commission officials discourage child care with careful wording. “Every accommodation provider should carefully consider whether special facilities like childcare should not be closed,” says the draft.
Members of high-risk groups should not participate in activities with many people. “Providing private in-room meals should be considered to protect vulnerable guests,” the newspaper said.
