Vacation in Coronavirus times: The chaos is getting bigger. Europe opens its borders, but not all. A virologist expressly warns against trips abroad.
- Where can we spend our summer vacation despite the corona virus?
- Europe opens its borders to holidaymakers, but a virologist warns against trips abroad (update from June 10; 15:58).
- Mallorca is getting ready for holidaymakers from Germany and starts the season earlier than planned (update from June 9) - Greece attracts with an extraordinary measure (update from June 13).
- Visiting the beach only by booking via app - a federal state wants to arm itself against overcrowding (update from June 7; 1 p.m.).
- Here you will find the basic facts about the corona virus * and the corona news from Germany *. You can also find current case numbers in Germany here as a map *. The following recommendations for corona protective measures * are currently available.
Update of June 13, 9:35 p.m .: Tourism is the most important economic sector for Greece - the government is now acting all the more decisively in preparation for the high season. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on a visit to the island of Santorini on Saturday: "The security of our guests is our top priority."
According to Minister of Health Vassilis Kikilias , 687 doctors and nurses have already been brought to the islands from the mainland, 450 intensive care beds have been reserved for tourists, and helicopters are also available for emergencies. From Monday, citizens from some EU countries can enter Greece without a quarantine regime .
Corona vacation: Internet solutions for tourists on the Baltic Sea
Update from June 12, 6.55 a.m .: Germany's places on the North and Baltic Seas can come up with a few ideas to direct the streams of holidaymakers and day visitors expected in summer : from floor stickers with distance rules, one-way street systems on the beach to beach apps. For example, Schleswig-Holstein also relies on digital solutions to accommodate large crowds of people in holiday resorts or on beaches.
A so-called beach app is currently being developed at the Bay of Lübeck . The application will not become a real app, as Doris Wilmer-Huperz, spokeswoman for the Lübeck Bay Tourism Agency, says. However, an internet platform is planned that basically works like booking a theater square online .
Holidays in Germany: Corona distance rules are more difficult to comply with in some places
The beaches at the Bay of Lübeck are rather narrow and also popular with day visitors - it is more difficult to comply with the distance rules there than, for example, on the North Frisian Islands or in Sankt Peter-Ording. Responsible people wave here: the beaches are wide enough to avoid each other.
No app is planned for Usedom in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania either. Unlike in Schleswig-Holstein, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania still prohibits entry for day visitors from other federal states. Also on the East Frisian islands like Norderney and Borkum, there are no guidance systems or beach reservations. "We still have a corrective: the ban on day tourists," says the managing director of the East Frisian Islands tourism company. The head of tourism at Rostock-Warnemünde, Matthias Fromm, is satisfied with the start of the season: "It is nice to be able to present ourselves again as hosts."
Summer vacation despite Corona: Virologist warns against trips abroad
Update from June 10, 3:58 p.m .: Travel within Europe will soon be possible again. Border controls within the European Union are to be lifted by June 15, announced Federal Interior Minister Horst Seehofer (CSU) on Mittoch (June 10). The government plans to extend the travel warning for all non-EU countries until the end of August.
Virologist Jonas Schmidt-Chanasit from the Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine warned against traveling abroad in an interview with ntv.de. "Every traveler should think carefully about what to do if you become infected on site and then fall ill," said virologist Schmidt-Chanasit to the broadcaster. This could lead to major problems, especially in countries that do not have the treatment options like Germany.
The expert believes that opening up within the European Union makes sense at this point in time. Schmidt-Chanasit refers to the common guidelines of the European Disease Protection Authority (Editor's note: European Center for Disease Prevention and Control, ECDC for short). If the situation changes in the next few weeks, other countries can be included.
Virologist Jonas Schmidt-Chanasit from the Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine in Hamburg.
© dpa / Daniel Bockwoldt
Summer vacation despite Corona: Book a beach visit using the app
Update from June 9, 9:19 a.m .: In Corona times, Schleswig-Holstein wants to regulate access to the beach via app (see update from June 7, 1 p.m.) . A good part of the Baltic Sea beach is in the state. But is that also planned for the North Sea ? According to information from Bild.de not in the north coast states of Lower Saxony and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania (MV) - at least not nationwide.
Smart. #ostseeoffice #strand
"Günther announced that in some places you could book sections of the beach using the app to avoid overcrowding" @Tagesspiegel https://t.co/4aEGUiTYbe
Annette Rösler, managing director of the MV pool association , said the portal: “In our view, such an app cannot be implemented by either the guests or those responsible for the beach. Neither technically nor logistically. Basically, the municipalities are responsible for implementing good concepts. "
This is exactly why it is advisable for the coastal municipalities to have a "Plan B" - if it gets too crowded on the beach despite hygiene and distance rules , said tourism association managing director Tobias Woitendorf. That could well be the app from Scharbeutz .
Corona crisis: Mallorca wants to receive the first German vacationers from Monday
Update of June 9 : Mallorca and the other Balearic Islands have applied for a "pilot project" with the central government in Madrid - and have been granted: According to media reports, 6000 tourists from Germany can fly to the Balearic Islands from June 15 - that is two weeks before the official opening of the former Corona hotspot Spain .
The pilot project is said to serve to test the emergency - the expected rush after the borders open on July 1 . One wants to check whether the security protocols work among other things at the airports and in the hotels, it said. The project is being carried out with tourists from Germany because the epidemiological situation in the country is very good and similar to that in the Balearic Islands.
Mallorca, Germany's favorite island, is expected to receive 4,000 tourists in the second half of June. A thousand visitors are to come to Menorca and the Pityuses ( Ibiza and Formentera ).
The negotiations, however, were tough, reports among others the newspaper El País , citing the regional government in Palma de Mallorca. The responsible politicians would announce the further details of the agreement between Palma and Madrid on Tuesday. The Canary Islands are also supposed to negotiate with Madrid on similar issues. There was initially no official confirmation of these reports.
Mallorca: The beach at El Arenal.
© dpa / Clara Margais
Vacation in Corona times: Other federal states prescribe quarantine to Sweden vacationers
Update of June 8, 4:34 p.m .: Swedish vacationers residing in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania or Schleswig Holstein have to quarantine for two weeks after their return. The reported NDR.de . How long this quarantine obligation will apply is therefore still open.
In Sweden, the number of new corona infections over the weekend has risen above the critical level of more than 50 per 100,000 inhabitants. This also corresponds to the recommendations of the Robert Koch Institute, which publishes a map of Europe with the countries marked accordingly on its website. Lower Saxony had already ordered a 14-day quarantine on Sunday after entering Sweden.
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Summer vacation despite Corona: Cyprus abolishes the quarantine requirement for German tourists
Update of June 8, 11:38 a.m .: Tourists from Germany and twelve other countries can travel to Cyprus from Tuesday (June 9) without a quarantine requirement. However, they must undergo a corona test before entering the country ; this obligation applies until June 20, as reported on Monday by state television (RIK), citing the government in Nicosia.
Accordingly, tourists from Germany , Austria, Malta, Greece, Israel, Bulgaria, Finland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Lithuania, Norway, Denmark and Hungary are free to enter. If tourists or other travelers get the consequences of a coronavirus infection during their stay in Cyprus, the government of the island republic wants to cover the costs, it said. Cyprus is ready for tourism.
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Vacation in Corona times: travel industry criticizes new rules in Great Britain
Update of June 8, 6:37 a.m .: While many countries are currently loosening their entry requirements again, Great Britain wants to tighten them . Anyone wishing to enter the UK from this Monday must go to a two-week quarantine upon arrival .
This is to prevent a second wave of coronavirus infections. “We all want to get back to normal as quickly as possible. But that cannot be at the cost of human life, ”Interior Minister Priti Patel said on Monday. The measure applies to travelers using trains, planes or ferries .
The new regulations have met with harsh criticism from companies in the travel industry. Airlines in particular are reluctant . And even in Prime Minister Boris Johnson's conservative governing party, there is considerable displeasure with the arrangement. A government spokesman confirmed that there are considerations to remove the quarantine requirement for individual travel destinations.
At the border, travelers must leave their address and contact details. If someone does not adhere to the 14-day obligation to isolate themselves, they can face a heavy fine . The quarantine requirement applies to all travelers, regardless of their citizenship. Only a few professional groups such as medical personnel, truck drivers and harvest workers are excluded , as are travelers from Ireland, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands.
Vacation in Corona times: Johnson wants to deal with "airlifts" quarantine
According to media reports, Johnson wants to use airlifts to bypass the quarantine measures for many air travelers . Passengers would therefore not have to self-isolate when entering from a country with a low risk of infection. Johnson believes that this is the best strategy to keep the virus in check and still allow travel again. The scheme is reportedly likely to be introduced in July.
Update, 5.45 p.m .: Today, Sunday (June 7), too many people threatened to gather in the Hanover region on the Steinhuder Meer in Wunstorf. According to the picture , the police therefore blocked the access to the Steinhuder Meer. As a spokeswoman for the police announced , corona rules such as maintaining the minimum distance would otherwise no longer be observed. Only locals and overnight guests were allowed to pass the access road, but not day visitors.
Summer vacation: Avoid "sardine cans" - visit to the beach in Schleswig-Holstein only with booking
Update from June 7, 2020, 1 p.m .: Schleswig-Holstein is now using a booking system via app to regulate the beach visit during the corona crisis and to avoid overcrowding.
"You can register via the app that you want to go to a stretch of beach within a certain period of time," said Schleswig-Holstein's Prime Minister Daniel Günther to Tagesspiegel on Sunday . "If there is still space, you log in and then have access authorization."
The community Scharbeutz developed the system according to the CDU politician. It can also be used by other places. The prime minister also announced strict controls during the holiday season. "We won't have everyone lying close together like in a sardine can," said Günther in an interview.
Visiting the beach only with booking: Schleswig-Holstein relies on an app during the holiday season.
© dpa / Carsten Rehder
Summer vacation in Corona times: Meuse warns vacationers
Update from June 7, 2020 : Despite a corona pandemic, Germans can make vacation plans. The global travel warning is to be changed to country-specific travel information from June 15. But Foreign Minister Heiko Maas warns tourists in advance with drastic words.
Chaos about summer vacation: travel boss indignant about Söder statement - fierce argument in Mallorca
First report from June 6, 2020
Munich - where to go in summer ? Many Germans are asking themselves this question. In Germany , the number of infections continues to fall, and there are already numerous easing of the corona measures . A vacation in your own country is possible and there is also a lot to see in this country. Politicians like Bavaria's Prime Minister Markus Söder are asking the population to stay in Germany this year, even though more and more European countries are opening their borders after their situation improves.
Corona: Holidays only in Germany? German travel association outraged by Söder statement
The German Travel Association (DRV) does not like this, however, as Focus reports online. Far too many people are already bustling at hotspots in Germany. Not everyone adheres to distance rules. There is great concern about a second wave of infections. The corona virus is far from history. The DRV warns: "The capacities in our own country are far from sufficient so that all those wishing to travel can also take their well-deserved vacation."
Norbert Fiebig , President of the DRV is outraged by Söders * Please: “Whether corona numbers are high or low is not a political decision, but a question of the facts. Those who give unfounded warnings about trips abroad just to promote their vacation in their own federal state will destroy the business of many travel agencies and tour operators. ”
For the # travel industry, the # economic stimulus package is definitely not a #Wums. It is far from enough to ensure the survival of many # travel agencies and # tour operators @Thomas_Bareiss @peteraltmaier @OlafScholz @HBraun
- DRV (@DRVDE) June 4, 2020The number of people currently infected in the Free State is de facto higher than in the popular holiday countries like Greece , Croatia and Austria combined, explains Fiebig and adds: "According to Mr. Söder's logic, a travel warning should also apply to Bavaria ."
Söder got headwind from Fiebig, but polls show that many voters are very satisfied with his corona policy. In the meantime, the CSU politician has even been treated as a candidate for chancellor. Friedrich Merz has now also commented on this.
Corona: Europe opens its inner borders again - summer vacation in Mallorca?
So vacation abroad after all ? One of the most popular travel destinations for Germans is without a doubt Mallorca . But there is a lot of stress there right now. In Spain , the third relaxation phase from June 8th should also bring nightlife back up. But that is no longer certain. The government in Madrid and the Balearic government are against the opening of the clubs , according to the picture . The potential risk of infection is still too high. Spain remains one of the worst hit countries by the pandemic.
Mallorca without Ballermann would not be worth a holiday for many Germans , although Spain wants to open its borders to foreign tourists again from July 1st.
Singer Mia Julia in the Beer King on Mallorca.
© dpa / Clara Margais
Corona: Mega-Zoff in Mallorca due to delay in club openings
Whether the clubs can open until then is up to the stars. The Association of Balearic Night Club Operators (Asociación Balear de Ocio Nocturno y Entrenimiento - ABONE) has been working on hygiene and safety concepts for months .
Jesús Sánchez, President of ABONE, told Bild : “We are prepared and ready to go. We have prepared intensely for the openings and worked on the measures to be taken, which the Ministry of Health has already approved. ”But the clubs have now been excluded from the government in the third phase of relaxation . "We are outraged and surprised at the same time. It cannot be that our sector has been working on protocols for so long and we have now been excluded. We are asking the government to resume in phase three. ”
In April alone, according to the Spanish statistics institute "INE" , the Balearics lost almost one billion euros. The big clubs are said to make millions lousy.
Corona and Mallorca: Ballermann stars hope for club opening and German tourists
Ballermann singer Isi Glück hopes that the clubs can still open and the season can finally start. Compared to the picture, she said: "Now there are gradually a few loosenings and somehow it gives a little hope. At the end of June, a few tourists should actually be able to fly to Mallorca and if all of this is correct, I personally hope that we can celebrate one or the other party in the 'Megapark' this year. ”
Her colleague Peter Wackel feels like after a long winter season, when the windows are still calcified and the construction fence is still standing: “But you can see people are already painting the houses, cleaning, working and everyone is really preparing for a late season before and the island has an insane need for it. "
Many holidaymakers are likely to experience that a return campaign also has financial repercussions in the next few weeks - then they will get an invoice from the Federal Foreign Office.
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List of rubric lists: © dpa / Dimitris Papamitsos