Summer holidays despite Corona: how could and how could it not

The holiday season is approaching, but Foreign Minister Heiko Maas gives Germans little hope of a summer as usual. How could it work with a vacation beyond the balcony? Summary of possible variants.

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Foreign Minister Heiko Maas (SPD) indicated that his travel warning issued in mid-March could be extended. “The travel warning is through Sunday of this week,” the SPD politician said Monday night in a special issue of ZDF magazine “Wiso.” He assumes that “for the next few weeks there will be no signs of lifting this travel warning.”

The Federal Foreign Minister lowered hopes of a normal summer vacation for Germans again: “There are entry bans in many countries, there are curfews, air traffic is on the ground; unfortunately, there is currently no evidence that this will improve in the coming weeks “No one will be able to spend a vacation this year as he knows it. There will certainly be restrictions everywhere, Maas said.

A European strategy is sought

Balconies instead of the Balearic Islands: it doesn’t have to be that bad in summer. The federal government’s tourism representative, Thomas Bareiß, despite Corona giving hope for the summer holidays in a rented holiday home on the German coast. Traveling abroad is likely to be more difficult, even if EU countries hope to re-channel tourism.

“Now we need a strategy for a joint restart of the tourism sector in the EU,” Bareiß emphasized on Monday after a video conference with his EU colleagues. Still “there is no clear recommendation as to where the trip will go this year.”

Possible tourist corridors

Due to the pandemic and closed borders, reserves have plummeted everywhere, and it’s still unclear if he can go to Europe’s vacation areas in the summer. The head of the EU Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, recently recommended waiting with vacation planning. Croatian Tourism Minister Gari Cappelli emphasized that EU countries are talking about opening so-called tourist corridors. However, epidemiologists would first have to be interviewed and criteria for the protection of tourists would be established.

Then you could continue with the 2020 holidays:

HOLIDAYS IN GERMANY

First of all, it’s probably a vacation in Germany. “I think a vacation in a more regional way will be possible this year,” said Bareiß. On the one hand, compliance with security measures can best be ensured here. Furthermore, citizens could also help the German tourism industry to recover. “There are enough beautiful tourist destinations in Germany,” said the tourism representative.

Rent a vacation home on the Baltic Sea or Black Forest, you think it should be “easily possible in the summer”. An argument for this: There are no crowds in the vacation home, a family could stay together. Hotels could gradually open if solutions were found for breakfasts, buffets and restaurants.

Bareiß emphasized that he would not have “lay next to each other like a towel on a towel on the North Sea beach.” “It must also clearly define how distances can be maintained.” The German Tourism Association also does not rule out controls and sanctions to avoid overcrowded beaches.

HOLIDAYS ABROAD

First Germany, then neighboring European countries, and at some point, then long-distance travel again. That is the image that the federal government is currently drawing. Bareiß said that worry-free travel is only possible again internationally if there is an effective coronavirus vaccine and medication.

Foreign Minister Heiko Maas warned of a “European race for who will first allow tourism travel.” In some countries, however, there is also a certain expectation, Bareiß reported. “You can already feel that there is a stronger wish in Greece, Portugal, Italy, in the southern states that vacations are possible again.”

Greece, for example, represents around 20 percent of its economic output with tourism, Croatia at least 17 percent. Across Europe, it represents ten percent of economic output and twelve percent of the workforce, a total of 27 million people. The European Commission estimates revenue loss across Europe at 50 percent for hotels and restaurants, 70 percent for tour operators and 90 percent for cruises and airlines.

According to Bareiß, more than three million people work in the tourism industry in Germany. Therefore, Germans spend more than € 100 billion a year on travel. Typically, there are 50 million vacation trips from Germany abroad each year.

MONEY RETURN FOR RESERVED HOLIDAYS

Tens of thousands of German citizens have already had to cancel their holidays, and are now entitled to a refund. According to the federal government, only around € 3.5 billion would have to be returned to package travel customers for trips until the end of April. Because this could bankrupt many organizers, the federal government wants to allow companies to issue vouchers. But plans are stalling, because the EU Commission insists that coupons can only be delivered according to the customer.

Bareiß said that some countries would have introduced coupon schemes. Germany really doesn’t want that. If the voting process does not move forward in the EU, “a certain framework will be found if necessary” to allow the coupons.

INDUSTRY SUBSIDIES

Federal government programs are well received in the tourism industry, according to the federal government. They could help in the acute phase, “but the need grows day by day,” Bareiß emphasized. In the long term, the industry will probably need more support.

The German Tourism Association warned of the dramatic consequences of the crown crisis. “We have estimates that 24 billion euros less were earned in March and April. There were no 70 million overnight stays during Easter alone.” In an interview with the German publishing network, President Reinhard Meyer asked the federal government for an emergency aid program for small and medium-sized businesses with up to 250 employees. “More needs to happen,” he said. The reduced VAT from July does not help immediately.

At the European level, in accordance with the wishes of the tourism ministers, the industry should also participate in the planned reconstruction fund, as emphasized by Croatian Minister Cappelli. They also expect 20 to 25 percent of the funds from the next seven-year EU budget. (best / dpa)