The tour operators, however accustomed year after year to live the worst hazards (attacks, natural disasters ...), have never known a worse scenario. The closing of the borders and the confinement of several countries already bring them to the ground. Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne, Secretary of State for Tourism, gathered the industry on Tuesday to hear its different players and their specific requests.
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At a standstill, faced with the avalanche of hundreds of thousands of requests for reimbursement by customers whose trips are canceled, they got to offer credits. The measure is made possible thanks to the government - by ordinance -, because the tourism code provides that when an organizer cancels a trip due to force majeure, he must reimburse his client. The order should be effective in the coming days. "We are in a race against the clock for all emergency measures , " insists Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne, adding that the assets could be valid for 12 to 18 months.
Already on Tuesday, Seto, the professional syndicate of French tour operators, as well as Les Entreprises du voyage, which represent thousands of agencies, indicated that departures until April 30 were postponed with the issuance of a valid advance until December 31st minimum. And this at the tour operator's current rate. "If we want a certain number of structures to pass the course, they must be able to postpone their services," insists the Secretary of State. If only reimbursement is authorized, we will soon arrive at a generalized bankruptcy of a number of agencies. ” He believes that assets make it possible to reconcile, as best as possible, the economic interests of professionals and those of their clients. "This is what we have been asking for a week, reacts Jean-Pierre Mas, president of Entreprises du voyage. It is a very good thing."