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As the December holidays approach, every year there is a great stir in the Facebook groups, where offers for renting houses and saunas are announced: compatriots are in a hurry to find a place to celebrate the New Year with the company of friends or family.
This year is no exception. As can be seen from the abundance of ads, quarantine requirements are tightening for the population, not even for a reason.
“We are looking for a home from December 31 to January 1, for 20-25 people. For Vilnius ”, wrote the internet girl in the Facebook group.
“For January, I am looking for an affordable property in Kelm Kel or Raseiniai district that can accommodate about 25 people,” said another.
“We are looking for a house for the new year. Up to 20 people. Please drop options WITH PRICES AND PHOTOS in p.m. Vilnius and up to 150 km from Vilnius, ”said another social media user.
Homestead wanted on December 31st. – January 2 For a group of 20-25 people, the best is around Vilnius, but it may be a little further away ”, looks for another compatriot.
“I’m still looking for a farm for the new year, there will be up to 12 people, the price is up to € 500. December 31 to January 1 ”, recalled another Internet user.
Such requests abound even after additional restrictions were announced Wednesday. Read more about them here.
Homeowners are abandoning larger groups
Meanwhile, the president of the Lithuanian Rural Tourism Association (LKTA) Agnė Vaitkuvienė 15 minutes He said that despite the demand, homeowners are reluctant to accept large groups.
“After the quarantine was announced, the signing of contracts was stopped. People hoped it wouldn’t spread, but with the current numbers, it’s clear no one will be able to celebrate. “December or January has always been a time for corporate parties, now they just don’t happen,” he explained.
A.Vaitkuvienė emphasized that according to current requirements, the owner is responsible for meetings at his facilities. As a result, there was a reluctance to admit larger groups.
Luke April / 15min photo / Homestead
“The final wording of the quarantine requirements is such that it is forbidden to provide leisure and entertainment services and to rent or otherwise transfer the premises where these services can be provided. As a result, we cannot organize full celebrations, but we can accept accommodation. People are driving, trying to escape the city, even though they are changing the environment during the weekend “, – 15 minutes commented the president of the association.
According to her, the interest of large companies in farms was particularly evident before the announcement of the quarantine. Then jobs were sought for larger companies of up to 20 people, and several families were reunited. And now most individual families are already applying.
Now I am looking for a family to celebrate the New Year, Christmas or the whole week between holidays. He wants to go out, change the environment. Small requests for a family with children, he said.
“After the quarantine, these searches stopped and the segment changed completely. Now I am looking for a family to celebrate the New Year, Christmas or the whole week between holidays. They want to go out, change the environment. Small requests for a family with children” , said.
Neighboring countries switch around Lithuania
Although the situation in the country and in the world remains tense, with the most important holidays of the year approaching, Lithuanians do not seem to be without optimism. Seizing the opportunity for both st. Christmas and New Years contribute to weekend days, and travelers rush to find entertainment.
Mantas Srėbalius, one of the founders of the Cohost.lt platform that provides hosting services, states that this trend is also noticed by entrepreneurs. After all, even though people don’t tend to book apartments much earlier than planned during the quarantine, compatriots are already occupying rooms for big celebrations.
Of particular interest is the coast, where more than a third of the apartments are already reserved.
“The fact that Lithuanians are not meeting in foreign countries this year feels stronger and stronger. Interest in accommodation services during the festive period is constantly growing. In addition, the pandemic has caused the cancellation of various events in cities, so we see that this encourages people to go to nature and plan time with their loved ones in the country’s spas. “There is a lot of interest on the beach, where more than a third of the apartments are already reserved,” he said.
Erik Ovcharenko / Photo of 15min / New Year’s Consent
Other companies offering accommodation and entertainment services also feel the desire of Lithuanians to mention holidays. Karolis Kupris, co-founder and manager of hotel services portals NoriuNoriuNoriu.lt, also points out that as the holiday period approaches, Lithuanians want to return to the pre-quarantine routine, at least for a short time.
We note that during the festive period, Lithuanians most often choose hotels located in nature.
“We noticed that during the festive period, Lithuanians more often choose hotels located in nature. Lithuanian resorts are still popular: Druskininkai, Birštonas and the coast. In addition, when reserving residences in St. For Christmas or New Years, the compatriots are very interested in the segment of health services, medical recreation and sanatorium, ”he commented.
NVSC urges refrain from vacation
Upon hearing such information, epidemiologists were shocked. Justina Petravičienė, representative of the National Center for Public Health 15 minutes He affirmed the social gatherings during the vacations unequivocally negative. He also criticized the weekend gatherings during the lighting of Christmas trees in various cities.
“Meeting people with whom you normally don’t interact, seeing the spread of the virus in society as we have it now, is already a very high risk. Here we see an even greater risk, because everything will be done indoors, people from different families, relatives, friends who also have many social contacts will meet, “he said.
Sigismund Gedvila / 15 min photo / National Center for Public Health
J.Petravičienė regretted that it is difficult for people to accept the current situation in the country. She assured me that she understood that we were all tired, but urged her to finally admit to herself that this year’s vacation would not be the same as last.
“You have to understand that if we don’t follow all the requests and recommendations during the holidays, it means that we will continue to dictate the growth of cases detected by COVID-19, the infection will only spread and the situation will only get worse. This means that greater restrictions may be necessary after the holidays, as we may have an uncontrolled spread of the infection, “said the interviewee.
Furthermore, J.Petravičienė warns that Lithuanians now live by the principle that in a non-public setting, behind closed doors, no one sees them and thinks that as a result they have less responsibility to society. She called not only to declare citizenship in public and protect yourself, but also to do so by closing the door.
“We urge people to join forces and keep in mind that the infection does not end with the door closed. If you celebrate not in a restaurant, but on a reserved farm, it will certainly not happen that the virus will overlook it. It is especially important to remind ourselves of the vacations of the summer season, beginning with baptisms and ending with weddings, ”he said.
The specialist recalled the case of Raseiniai, when the city became the focus of a virus from a family vacation.
“In the current period, it can really end in big outbreaks and bring the infection home,” concluded J. Petravičienė.
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