When will normality return in the coronavirus pandemic in Germany?
CDU politician Thomas Bareiß believes it will be very soon.
In the interview, he gives the catering industry hope.
Munich / Berlin - When will normality return to Germany in the coronavirus pandemic?
When will we be able to fly and drive on vacation again with as few restrictions as possible despite Covid-19?
When will the far-reaching easing in the hotel and catering industry begin?
When do we need the digital vaccination card and for what not?
Question after question.
Merkur.de
spoke about it with a State Secretary of Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU): Thomas Bareiß (CDU), the Federal Government Commissioner for Tourism and Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises.
Merkur.de: Mr. Bareiß, when will people in Germany be able to go on vacation normally again?
Thomas Bareiß: I hope as soon as possible.
Each of us misses the vacation.
Many of us are ready for a vacation and need a change of scenery for a few days.
And the two million employees in the tourism industry in Germany have had an incredibly difficult year and are also looking forward to welcoming guests.
Vacation is about diversion. Is that even possible with strict corona rules?
By vaccinating, we create security.
I hope that we will have vaccinated as many as possible by July and that, step by step, travel will return to normal.
Holiday in the coronavirus pandemic: "People vaccinated against corona have a high level of protection"
What is possible with a view to the Whitsun holidays?
There will be no normal Whitsun vacation this year, but in some areas in Germany vacation will be possible with certain restrictions.
After Pentecost, more and more normalcy will return.
The tourism industry has done an incredible amount to ensure safety and has learned to deal with the coronavirus.
In Germany there is a lot of discussion about privileges for people who have been vaccinated against corona. Do you think this is justified with a view to the holiday?
People vaccinated against corona have a high level of protection.
But I think equality between vaccinated and negatively tested people is important.
If you can show a negative corona test, certain restrictions should be removed.
This avoids one thing: Not only those who were vaccinated earlier due to the state vaccination sequence, return more quickly to their rights of freedom.
But everyone has the chance to do so through tests.
Many of us need a change of scenery for a few days.
Thomas Bareiß (CDU), Federal Government Tourism Commissioner
Summer vacation 2021 in Germany with major relaxation?
Digital vaccination records should help
So that, in the best case scenario, there are extensive openings and loosenings in Germany during summer holidays?
By the summer we will have vaccinated many people in Germany.
We are in the process of getting the digital vaccination certificate off the ground with the European Union (EU).
Everyone can then prove that he or she has been vaccinated.
Or that he or she has recovered.
So that the person on the plane, at an attraction, in a congress hall can show that he is healthy and not dangerous.
This makes safe travel possible.
So the digital vaccination certificate will be our constant companion on vacation? Which we have to show at the lido or in an amusement park?
I hope the vaccinations will bring us back to normal life.
We will have to live with this disease.
But when a large part of the population is vaccinated, I no longer consider it necessary to always have a vaccination card with you.
CDU politician Thomas Bareiß
Thomas Bareiß is from Swabia and was born on February 15, 1975 in Albstadt-Ebingen.
He grew up in the Swabian Alb and studied business administration at the Ravensburg University of Cooperative Education.
The CDU politician has been a member of the Bundestag for the Zollernalb-Sigmaringen constituency since 2005 and Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy since March.
As the Federal Government Commissioner for Tourism and Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises, Bareiß works closely with Federal Economics Minister Peter Altmaier (CDU).
Digital corona vaccination pass: Do vaccinations pave the way back to vacation and tourism?
Because politicians have to assume that not everyone can be vaccinated?
In the past, you had to prove vaccinations for certain trips, for example against hepatitis before a vacation in Southeast Asia.
My concern is that we don't have to show the vaccination certificate at every corner when shopping or at the airport.
We do not want such an interference in everyday life.
Austria rushes forward with its so-called Green Pass, Italy wants to take a special route. Is there a mess of vaccination cards now?
I have to disagree.
You don't go a separate way.
I am in close contact with my colleagues from Austria and Italy.
Both countries have a great interest in us jointly launching the digital corona vaccination pass.
It only makes sense if every EU country has the same vaccination certificate.
Austria, for example, depends heavily on German tourists.
I hope that we can introduce the digital vaccination record safely and reliably in the course of June.
Digital corona vaccination pass for vacation: Merkel's confidante is aimed at Austria and Italy
Do you urge a uniform solution to avoid confusion?
I urge a uniform solution and rapid implementation.
So that we can perhaps offer this digital vaccination card outside of the EU to third countries.
Pregnant women are not yet allowed to be vaccinated, and families with small children face the same hurdle. Will they still have the same freedoms?
The registration offices have not yet decided how the corona vaccinations will affect pregnant women.
However, pregnant women can use the corona tests for freedom.
When we have vaccinated a certain number of people, the same normality will apply to all of them.
It's about fundamental rights that everyone must get back as soon as possible.
Merkel State Secretary Thomas Bareiß (CDU): "Remove the time limit for the VAT rate for the catering trade"
The tourism industry also had to accept a lot of hardship - and is there increasing support for the time being?
We have supported the tourism industry from the start, for example with a lower VAT rate for the catering trade.
In my opinion, this must be extended in the long term.
We also have some funding conditions for bridging aid that are specially tailored to the needs of the travel industry.
And we have to get the tourists back as soon as possible.
We do that through more security.
People have a great need to travel again.
In the summer we will see a boom in the tourism industry.
And what does Germany require from foreign tourists as corona security?
Of course we need common standards.
A corona test that is done in Malaysia, Brazil or with us must meet the same criteria.
It would also be helpful if there was a globally recognized corona vaccination certificate.
We may have to ask guests from non-European countries to have a corona vaccination for entry if they do not want to go into quarantine.
The sharpest sword is and remains the quarantine regulation.
This could go on for a few years until the majority of the world's population is vaccinated.
Which brings us to winter: will ski tourism be possible in 2021/22?
I am optimistic about the winter and am a passionate skier myself.
I believe that once we have achieved herd immunity and a high vaccination rate, the ski resorts will be safe again.
I hope that in the next six months we will get to the point where I can shake hands with the person I'm talking to or hug a good friend.
I miss this personal closeness.
Man needs that.
An interview by Patrick Mayer
