European Countries Prepare to Battle for Tourists as Reopenings Begin

European Countries Prepare to Battle for Tourists as Reopenings Begin

May 12, 2021 ctn_admin

The United Kingdom is due to open to some visitors next Monday. Greece could reopen on Friday. And France is launching a major marketing effort to get other Europeans to visit starting next month.

All across Europe, “We’re Open” signs are springing up or being dusted off as vaccinations increase and COVID-19 case numbers drop (at least for now).

TUI AG, the world’s largest tour operator, said it’s more optimistic about a summer tourism rebound as the UK’s travel restart spurs bookings, even as it signalled potential turbulence in the months ahead, Bloomberg reports. The world’s biggest tour operator said in a statement Wednesday that a pick-up in demand has been “clearly evident in recent weeks,” with reservations doubling in April.

Beginning Monday, May 17, the UK will allow visitors from just 12 countries to arrive without the need to quarantine. Those countries include Australia, New Zealand, Portugal, Iceland and Singapore.

The French are determined to out-jostle the UK for its share of visitors. AFP reports that “the world’s top tourism destination in 2019 is hoping to save its standing among tourists keen to roam the world again after a year of national lockdowns.

“France is kind of the world in miniature,” Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne, the junior minister at the foreign ministry in charge of tourism, told a virtual press conference Tuesday.

“It’s 50 shades of holidays. Everyone can choose their own,” he added.

Forbes says it’s “widely anticipated” hat Greece will open its borders to everyone on Friday May 14, without the need to quarantine.

Italy’s Prime Minister has said he hopes to re-open the country in mid-May, and scrap the quarantine rule to “visitors who can show that they are negative, vaccinated or immune.”

“It’s time for you to book your holidays in Italy!” Prime Minister Mario Draghi stated.

Greece, Iceland and Croatia have already waived restrictions for fully vaccinated travellers from EU countries, as well as U.S., Britain and Israel, in order to ensure they do not lose bookings.

France, by contrast, insists that visitors from the EU and a handful of other countries, including Britain and Israel, show a negative PCR test on arrival, AFP reports.

Visitors from most non-EU countries, meanwhile are still officially prohibited from entering, unless they can prove “compelling” reasons for travel.

Spain is talking about some kind of reopening in June. With that in mind, TourSpain has launched a new microsite aimed at providing up-to-date information for would-be travellers.

The TravelSafe microsite is incorporated on Spain’s official tourism portal (Spain.info/en) and it displays real-time data, as well as an interactive map of Spain with useful information about entry requirements to Spain and the measures adopted in each autonomous region.

“The aim of this interactive tool is to help travellers and travel professionals organize their trips to Spain with up-to-date information regarding restrictions related to COVID-19, such as PCR tests, quarantines, regional border closures, mobility restrictions, restaurant capacity and other tourist services,” officials said.

The system is available in English, French, Spanish and German.