Summer holidays: what is allowed again from May 18: France’s beaches open with restrictions

May 14, 2020 update: loosening provides limited freedom of movement in the crown pandemic

Thousands of people in Germany are still waiting for their reserved summer holidays, whether in Mallorca, Antalya or Egypt. But if and under what conditions will a trip abroad be possible? The border openings in Europe planned for mid-June raise hope, but even in the Summer holidays abroad. Some countries are already preparing.

Holidays in France: relaxation from May 11, 2020

Beaches: With relaxation in France, some beaches are reopening, however strict rules apply there. Sunbathing or picnicking are generally not allowed. On the open beaches of the Loire-Atlantique department on the Atlantic coast, only “dynamic activities” are allowed, as established in the regulation of the responsible prefecture. These include individual sports like running, swimming, or water sports. Any “static presence,” that is, lying down or sitting, is prohibited.. The situation is similar on some Brittany beaches. Also, alcohol is prohibited and distance rules must be strictly observed. France relaxed its strict exit restrictions for the first time on Monday (11.5.2020). During this time, the country’s beaches were closed. Regional authorities are currently deciding which beaches can reopen in the Mediterranean, the Atlantic and the North Sea. The municipalities must have the opening approved by the responsible prefecture. Some beaches have already received the green light, while others are still pending approval. The southern beaches near Marseille, for example, are said not to open until May 25. The prefectures also decide which rules people must adhere to on the beaches. Many beaches will only be open during the day.

Hotels, restaurants, cafes.: No opening date has been set for hotels, restaurants and cafes.

Museums and places of interest: Big museums like the Louvre in Paris probably won’t open before September. In contrast, smaller museums can already open their doors to visitors again.

Read it here: Land announces itself as “a soon uncrowned vacation country” – the holiday season begins July 1.

Holidays in Italy: Holidays for foreign tourists not possible at first

Italy’s Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte has given his own compatriots hope for a summer beach vacation. But if and when foreign tourists can return to Italy, it’s still in the stars. In any case, South Tyrol has already rushed and will open hotels again in late May, and will attract German tourists.

Beaches: Meanwhile, the country is lost in sometimes absurd discussions about distance rules on the beach, in the sea and for children who dig in the sand. Lido operators oppose suggestions that the umbrella rows should be separated by up to five meters or that the sunbeds should be disinfected after each change. Access should only be given with advance reservations. At the moment, however, this is still a long way off: even Italians are still not allowed to travel from one region to another.

Bars and restaurants: There is mounting pressure on the government to reopen bars, restaurants, and hair salons before June 1. With the number of infected people currently declining, many of the 20 regions are calling on Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte to speed up the pace of easing anti-crown measures.

Churches: Since May 18, 2020, churches in Italy can celebrate services with believers again. However, security measures to protect against infection with the crown virus should be applied, as announced by the government of Rome and the CIS Catholic Episcopal Conference on Thursday. Churches should use staff to control access to places of worship and to ensure that there is always sufficient distance between people during Masses.

Read it here: The Germans spend a vacation in Germany, a most demanded federal state.

Holidays in the Netherlands: possible from July 1, 2020

Holland is one of the few countries that has a vacation plan. Tourists can travel to the Dutch holiday areas again from July 1.

Campings, bungalows, apartments: The bungalow parks are already gradually opening their doors and the apartments are being rented again. Starting July 1, all campsites and holiday parks must be reopened completely. Until now, this was only limited. For example, the showers and toilets in the camps had to remain closed. The sanitary facilities will also reopen on July 1 at beaches and natural parks.

Museums: Museums can receive visitors again from June 1, provided they register online in advance. Restaurants, cafes, beach pavilions and pubs can serve a maximum of 30 guests. From July up to 100 guests are allowed.

sports: You can play outdoor sports again as long as you don’t have physical contact with other people. Tennis, golf and swimming are allowed from May 11, but not soccer.

Holidays in Denmark: no tourism from abroad

retail trade: In Denmark, all retail trade has been reopened since May 11, 2020, according to an agreement between the Danish government and parliamentary parties published on Thursday night.

Cafes, bars, restaurants: A week later, on May 18, restaurants and cafes can also open their doors under certain guidelines. The same applies to churches and religious communities. After the younger students, the sixth through tenth school classes are resuming their classes again. Professional sport can start again with immediate effect, but without spectators.

Limits: Denmark’s borders remain narrow at the moment. Tourists from Germany will still be unable to enter Denmark for the time beingnorth. The measures taken in the crown crisis would have serious consequences for tourism, Justice Minister Nick Hækkerup said in the Copenhagen parliament on Wednesday when the opposition asked whether the border should be reopened to German tourists. In view of the current situation, he believes that tourists should not be allowed to enter Denmark because they could possibly bring a coronavirus infection to the country.

Holidays in the UK: first relief

However, the British government is increasingly criticized for its plans to relax initial restrictions on the crown crisis. Britain is the worst numbered pandemic country in Europe, with more than 30,600 deaths in statistics. Experts assume that the number of unreported cases is very high. Prime Minister Boris Johnson plans to announce more government actions on Sunday night. Therefore, the first easing could be applied as of Monday (May 18, 2020). The British media is already speculating on the first steps Johnson could plan.

Parks, cafes, picnics: Given the good weather, this includes opening more parks, licensing picnics, and reopening outdoor cafes. More outdoor sports should also be possible. Critics think it is too early. Many people no longer adhere to the guidelines.

Holidays in Spain: narrow borders for now

Limits: Any plan for Spain in the summer of 2020 remains volatile for international holiday guests. Until now the limits have been closed. Even Spaniards are still prohibited from traveling to other regions of their country.

activities: In addition, as of May 15, foreign visitors to Spain must remain in quarantine for two weeks. The measurement should be applied until the corona alarm condition ends.

Hotels: However, there is a gradual relaxation, even if it is still unclear what that means for tourism. At least in parts of the country, the reopening of hotels was allowed under strict conditions.

Air traffic: “The impact of Covid-19 on tourism is simply brutal,” wrote the newspaper “El Periódico.” But at least: starting in June, Lufthansa and its subsidiary Eurowings want to send vacation planes to the Balearic island of Mallorca, which is less affected by the virus.

Read it here: Holidays in the Canary Islands: the controversial exit strategy should change everything in the future.

Holidays in Greece: tourism allowed again from July 1, 2020

tourism: Athens wants to allow all movements within the country from May 18. Tourism must start again from July 1.

Beaches: At seaside resorts, loungers and umbrellas by the pool or on the beach should be three to five meters away.

Hotels: There is a great debate about whether meals should be served in buffet hotels or at the table. To keep the virus from spreading, beds in rooms should not be made daily.

Tourism is extremely important for Greece, which had left behind its great economic crisis. More recently, 33 million tourists arrived in the year. The industry anticipated sales of more than € 22 billion in 2020. It should now be no more than € 2 billion. About 65 percent of hoteliers fear not opening this summer.

Holidays in Turkey: Extended flight stop until May 28

Turkey is gradually loosening the crown measures and preparing for an openness to tourism. Meanwhile, travel restrictions only apply to 15 instead of 31 cities and provinces as before.

National trips: The country plans to start domestic travel in late May and hopes to attract international tourists in June.

Hotels, restaurants: Strict crown requirements must apply to hotels and restaurants. Distance and hygiene rules must be observed, for example, and staff must receive pandemic training. Turkey has developed a certification program for this.

Air traffic: After opening for international flights, crown tests will be carried out at border crossings, for example at Antalya airport. Semi-state airline Turkish Airlines recently extended its flight stop until May 28.

Holidays in Croatia: entry regulations relaxed since May 9

tourism: The country, which is highly dependent on tourism in the Adriatic Sea, with its long and rich coastline with bays and numerous islands, strongly urges the opening of European borders. The relaxed entry requirements have been in place since May 9. Consequently, foreigners with three reasons can cross the border without a crown test and without quarantine requirements:

An informal directive from the Home Office states that the last provision also applies to vacationers who have booked accommodation in Croatia. Authorities are also working on new rules to avoid large crowds of people on the beaches.

Holidays in Poland: restaurants and cafes re-open from May 18, 220

The country will maintain border controls with other EU countries until June 12. Foreigners are not allowed. So far there are exceptions for people with permanent residence permits, for truckers and diplomats. Hotels and shopping malls have reopened on May 4. In one more step to end the blockade, restaurants and cafes can reopen starting next Monday (May 18). However, there must be a minimum distance of two meters between the tables. Cooks and wineries are also required to wear nose and mouth protection. Also starting next Monday, hairdressing salons and beauty salons can be opened.

Hotels: At Swinoujscie Polish Spa On Friday, about a hundred hoteliers and travel agency employees demonstrated against entry requirements imposed on foreign tourists due to the crown crisis. “We are on the brink of the abyss,” said a PAP news agency hotel employee. “The bosses tell us that if nothing changes at the end of the month, they will fire us.” According to Polish television, people shouted “We want to work” and “Open the border”. The banners read: “Save tourism” or “Closed borders are the virus that will kill us.” Although allowed Hotels in Poland reopen from MondayHowever, foreigners are still subject to a two-week quarantine regime on arrival. Only business travelers are exempt from the measure. The epidemic and the closing of the borders have caused foreign guests to cancel their summer vacation reservations *. the The tourism industry, therefore, fears for its survival: According to your information, German and Scandinavian vacationers * represent up to 90 percent of guests in some hotels, restaurants, health and fitness centers on the Baltic Sea coast of Poland.

Holidays in Egypt: Hotels reopen from June 1, 2020

It’s also unclear when normalcy will return to popular beach resorts like Hurghada and Sharm El Sheikh.

Hotels: Hotels can now reopen for local vacationers with 25 percent occupancy and from June 1 with 50 percent occupancy. Among other things, hotels must provide disinfectants at the entrance and disinfect guests’ luggage upon arrival and departure.

Air traffic: When borders are reopened, it must also be ensured at airports that travelers can maintain a minimum distance between them. Experts estimate that the Egyptian tourism industry is losing $ 1 billion a month from the pandemic.

Read it here: Around 3,000 people persist on cruises – Corona test results there.

Update of May 13, 2020: the head of the Tyrolean country, Platter, happy with the upcoming opening of the border

Tyrol’s head of state, Günther Platter (ÖVP), was pleased with the forthcoming opening of the German-Austrian borders starting June 15. Open borders are the “greatest absolute support” for tourism in Tyrol, Platter said at a session of the state parliament in Innsbruck on Wednesday. The intention now was clear “that from the June 15 will be the opening of the borders“

The Austrian federal government announced Wednesday morning that the border with Germany should be opened on June 15. Starting Friday, only random checks will be performed.

Tourism in Austria has come to a virtual standstill due to the crown pandemic. Hotels and Open accommodation facilities in Austria again. Austrian tourism is highly dependent on guests from Germany. Therefore, many state politicians in the Alpine Republic and also tourism experts had recently insisted on opening a border.

Update of May 12, 2020: Merkel and Macron plan to relax the border

Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) and French President Emmanuel Macron have more than one media report Advice to ease German-French border traffic.. According to The Pioneer editor-in-chief Michael Broecker’s “Capital Briefing” on Tuesday, they are both fighting for a solution that applies to citizens of both countries equally, at best even further. Both would have called each other on Monday night.

For weeks now, only those who can show an important reason can enter Germany. These are, for example, truckers, members of the medical profession, or travelers. There are also borders with Denmark, France, Luxembourg, Switzerland and Austria. stationary border controls. Interior Minister Horst Seehofer (CSU) recently said the federal government had agreed to continue the controls until May 15. The leader of the North Rhine-Westphalia government, Armin Laschet (CDU), for example, had called for easing.

Government spokesman Steffen Seibert confirmed on Tuesday that the chancellor and the French president had spoken on Monday about current European tasks.

Update of May 11, 2020: loosening of the crown in some parts of Spain

A “café con leche” in the street cafe, shopping in the fashion store and a visit to the museum: in some parts of Spain, the next stage of the coronation began on Monday. Ten of a total of 17 “autonomous communities” were allowed to advance to “Phase 1” of the de-escalation plan, including the Basque Country, Galicia, the Canary Islands and the Balearic Islands. In Mallorca, for the first time since the strict ban on going out in mid-March, people sat outside bars again; however, the tables must be at least two meters apart and the number of clients is limited.

He too Palma Cathedral open again for believers. As in museums and shops, the number of visitors to churches is limited to one third. At the same time, private meetings of up to ten people are allowed again, provided the safety regulations are followed. The rules for going out still apply: sports and walks for two are only allowed for citizens between the ages of 14 and 70 in the morning and afternoon. In between are walking periods for a parent with children and for the elderly.

The rules are quite confusing, many complain in the country. “For example, I can only go for a walk alone with my son, but not in three with my partner. But if we are in one Go out for ice cream at the bar, then the three of us can go out. It doesn’t make any sense, “said a German who lives in Palma.

The particularly difficult thing Crown pandemic The affected region of Madrid initially remains in “Phase 0”, in which only the exit restrictions are slightly relaxed and small companies can open progressively. In other regions, such as Catalonia or Valencia, relaxation is only allowed in some areas. The Barcelona metropolis also has to “stop”.

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s left-wing government wants to bring the country to a “new normal” in late June with a four-step plan. However, depending on the situation, the regions should progress at different speeds with respect to relaxation.

Message of May 7, 2020: “Gradual opening of the border”: Holidays possible from mid-May?

According to information from the German Press Agency, the Federal Minister for the Interior, Horst Seehofer (CSU) and the Prime Minister of Schleswig-Holstein, Daniel Günther, have already spoken specifically about a concept of how to contain the coronavirus and the regulations of Applicable quarantine, if necessary, even without formal border controls. A joint report on the situation of the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of the Interior says that a “gradual opening of the border” in the north.

“Today we spoke on the phone and agreed to develop a specific schedule in which the steps of May 15 at the latest The border with Denmark can be opened.“Günther said Monday night, as reported by the Mopo portal.” This should be specified in the coming days. “

Appropriate concepts are already being discussed between the Federal Ministry of the Interior and other federal states with borders where controls are currently carried out. Seehofer ordered the closure of border controls in mid-March Denmark, France, Luxembourg, Austria and Switzerland extended Monday through May 15, 2020.

Seehofer warns against hasty return to travel operations with Austria

Federal Interior Minister Horst Seehofer (CSU) spoke out against the rapid resumption of travel between Germany and Austria. “While that Virus does not vacationWe also have to limit ourselves with our travel plans, as understandable as the desire of the people and the tourism industry, “said Seehofer of the” Bild am Sonntag “.” Protection against infection sets the calendar. “

Seehofer warned of “reckless openings that later responded in the form of more contagion.” The fact that the holidays can be taken again and when they depend on the infection process. Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz had stated that opening the borders to Germany would soon be possible. Your country is waiting German tourists on summer holidays at the latest.

Interesting too: Vacation in an apartment in Germany: why you should book quickly now.

sca / dpa / AFP

* Merkur.de is part of the national network of publishers Ippen-Digital.