Everything except a resumption of the epidemic. This is the message sent by the French, after reading an Ifop study for the Bonjour New York travel information site, the results of which we are unveiling. All the indicators in this opinion poll point to a need for security, at a time when the straitjacket of restrictions must begin to loosen. In parallel with the national deconfinement plan, the return of mobility in Europe and around the world will be a key step, starting in June. The health pass, which should also enable France to attend sporting and cultural events bringing together more than 1,000 people from June 9, will be the flagship tool for the reopening of the European space. The QR code will need to prove that you are not affected by Covid-19, by displaying a green light when it is scanned.
68% of respondents say they are in favor of this health pass to guarantee the safety of continental travel. The most striking illustration of this opinion survey which specifies that only 9% of respondents plan to spend most of their vacation abroad (against a quarter before the health crisis). In the same vein, all the modalities of health supervision (PCR test, vaccination certificate, medical examination) collect more than two thirds of favorable opinions, in the sense of departures abroad as in that of arrivals in France. Travelers from the most at-risk countries are even almost unanimously invited not to come (85% in favor of a ban on tourists from India). An opinion in line with current events, while travelers from Bahrain, Colombia,from Costa Rica and Uruguay are added to the list of those required to observe a 10-day quarantine. So, fearful, the French? Not only when we delve deeper into the subject.
“It is not really the fear of the virus that keeps the French from traveling, but rather the uncertainty about the constraints they will have to face, specifies Paul Cébille, the coordinator of the study at Ifop.
The idea of controlling the epidemic is put forward and the French are ready for very strict measures to prevent it from resuming.
But other studies we are doing show that the fear of the virus itself is less strong than before.
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In the direction of departures, the health pass which must allow travel to Europe by proving that we have been vaccinated, ill less than six months ago or that we have a negative PCR test of less than 72 hours , is seen as a facilitator by Nadia, 31.
“To leave at the beginning of June, we had listed ten destinations, with France last,” explains this globetrotter.
We had to refocus on destinations in the EU and finally opted for Slovenia.
This summer, on the other hand, I'm planning a surprise trip and we absolutely want to go far, even more than usual.
»For these regions, the travel conditions will remain subject to measures on a case-by-case basis.
Decline in travel plans abroad
Besides the ease of getting around, this Parisian takes other criteria into account: “I'm not too afraid of catching the virus while traveling. I check to see if the restaurants are open. I don't have a problem with having to do a PCR test, but we also took our vacation at the end of August, hoping to be vaccinated by then. On the other hand, forty is eliminatory. "
This point is crucial in the organization of a trip, even if 58% of French people say they are in favor of 10 days of compulsory isolation on arrival abroad (almost as much as for travelers arriving in France, at 60%). A figure that remains at 30% (all the same) among people themselves concerned by holidays outside France. “To put a quarantine, that amounts to prohibiting to travel, explains Jean-François Rial, CEO of Voyageurs du monde and president of the tourist office of Paris. It should not be forgotten that stays abroad only concern a quarter of French people. This important player is surprised by the low number of holidaymakers planning to go into exile (16% according to the study carried out between April 28 and 30), a figure which may have changed since. “Uncertainty hangs over travel, not health,estimates Jean-François Rial. Reservations have been exploding with us for three weeks. At that time, we were at 20% of 2019 levels at the same time of the year and we are now reaching 65%. This trend is valid with us as with other operators. We have reservations for a few distant countries for later in the year, but this summer, we are 90% in Europe and some overseas departments and regions, or Maghreb countries. It's the visibility that changes everything. If in addition the tour operators guarantee to reimburse 100% of the trip in the event of a health problem, it is the winning martingale. "This trend is valid with us as with other operators. We have reservations for a few distant countries for later in the year, but this summer, we are 90% in Europe and some overseas departments and regions, or Maghreb countries. It's the visibility that changes everything. If in addition the tour operators guarantee to reimburse 100% of the trip in the event of a health problem, it is the winning martingale. "This trend is valid with us as with other operators. We have reservations for a few distant countries for later in the year, but this summer, we are 90% in Europe and some overseas departments and regions, or Maghreb countries. It's the visibility that changes everything. If in addition the tour operators guarantee to reimburse 100% of the trip in the event of a health problem, it is the winning martingale. "
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Despite this upward trend, fewer French people will go abroad this summer than before the coronavirus crisis. In the survey carried out by Ifop, 13% of those questioned indicated that they had given up staying abroad. This is the case of Jean-Philippe, a Trojan in love with Asia, a little "resigned" to renounce projects with his partner: "There is a birth in the family in Singapore and we have been doing it for several months. talking about Thailand together. But we no longer ask the question. We don't know which countries will be open and I don't want to take a trip to make a trip, without knowing the conditions there. It would spoil the fun. We will stay in France, perhaps in Corsica, hoping that there aren't too many people looking to this destination… ”