Beach in Bordeaux, France
Photo: MEHDI FEDOUACH / AFP
Despite the increasing number of infections, stricter corona regulations and country warnings from the Federal Foreign Office, the travel company Tui attests a “new normal” in the tourism industry.
"We are in a completely different situation than a year ago because many people are vaccinated today," said Tui Germany boss Stefan Baumert of the "Hannoversche Allgemeine Zeitung".
"The vaccination level may not be as high as we would like it to be - but we won't see the effects again like last winter."
The booking situation for the winter vacation is not bad.
German tourists in particular are not put off by the high prices.
"The Germans' desire to travel is unbroken," says Baumert.
Customers booked their trips at shorter notice than before because they wanted to wait and see.
"But we are very confident that we will be able to almost reach the level before the pandemic in the next summer season."
For the travel industry it is of course good if as many people as possible get vaccinated.
Tui does not raise any demands, but orientates itself on the regulations in the respective vacation countries.
Popular winter travel destinations are currently the Canary Islands, mainland Spain, Egypt and Cape Verde.
For short and medium-haul destinations in winter, the travel restrictions have largely been lifted.
Demand for long-haul destinations is expected to grow more slowly.
For the travel providers shaken by the 2020 corona year, the latest rush is cause for joy.
Last year the European tourism industry slumped by more than half.
According to the World Tourism Association WTTC, the sales losses compared to 2019 amounted to the equivalent of 960 billion euros.
3.6 million people lost their jobs, large providers like TUI or airlines like Lufthansa could only be saved from threatened bankruptcy with government help.
hej / dpa