While the entry into force of the law which establishes the obligation to present a health pass to enter bars, restaurants, trains, planes ... is scheduled for August 9, the question of the conduct of the holidays on the ground French for foreign tourists arises.
The government will set up a device allowing tourists vaccinated outside the European Union to obtain a health pass, announced this Thursday morning on France Inter the Secretary of State for Tourism Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne.
Read also: Covid-19: despite the fourth wave, tourism is doing well
“
Our goal is that from August 9, foreign tourists on national soil can begin to obtain passes on the same model as French people living outside France. We are putting in place a dedicated, scalable system that will gain momentum to meet these demands
”, explained the Secretary of State to the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, in charge of Tourism, the French of the abroad and the Francophonie.
A cell of around a hundred people has already been set up, since Monday at the Quai d'Orsay, in order to provide French expatriates living outside the European Union and vaccinated abroad "
with vaccines recognized by the European Medicines Agency
”a special health pass.
“
They send us their vaccination certificate and we send them a QR code which allows them to obtain the health pass.
Two days ago we sent 1500 QR codes and 3000 yesterday.
We have received 20,000 requests,
”explains the Secretary of State for French people living abroad.
Read also: Health pass: French expatriates will be able to apply for it this week
Regarding the reception of foreign students enrolled in university establishments, Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne is reassuring: “
We will welcome them.
In the next few days, we will announce the practical arrangements that will allow them to come.
"
Booking levels higher than 2019
While the month of August has only just begun, Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne is satisfied with the start of the summer season: “
In July, for outdoor hotels and lodges, the reservation level is higher. to those of 2019
”.
But the health situation in some French departments is undermining tourism, especially in Guadeloupe.
Since Wednesday evening, the department has been confined again for three weeks.
“
It will be complicated for the end of the tourist season in Guadeloupe.
This is why we are providing economic support mechanisms and making access to the solidarity fund more flexible
, ”emphasizes Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne.
Read also: Tourism: France expects 50 million foreign visitors this summer, according to Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne
In total, since the start of the health crisis, 36 billion euros have been provided to support the tourist economy, one third of which is for Île-de-France. “
When the time comes, we will have to work on relaunching this destination. We did it with Lourdes, we will also do it for Paris and the Île de France
”
.
The government has indeed allocated 77.4 million euros as part of the recovery plan for the city of Lourdes. It is, for the moment, the only city to benefit from such a device.
