loacker_thegreat

While countries like France and Germany are planning to extend the travel ban till September, it seems that Greece is looking to reopen to tourists by July.
Probably because its economy depends more on the tourism sector than other EU countries.

This is exciting news! Anyone still planning a trip this summer?
And now that experts are warning that the coronavirus might stay around for 18-24 months, how do you think this will affect travel in the next 2 years?
Will learning to live with the virus become the new normal at some point?

​​​​​​https://www.forbes.com/sites/isabelt.../#41b10a08be11

Jean

I think most people will be waiting for a vaccine or an extreme and widespread diminution of cases, which isn't predicted by this summer.

menachem

I don't know how it will affect travel, but I do know how it should: don't travel! The only thing you'll be doing, coming from a hotspot that may welll have serious outbreaks over summer with airports as a vector is that you'll spread the virus around.

loacker_thegreat

I don't come from a Covid-19 hotspot. My country has recorded very few cases.

That said, the virus is likely to stay with us for the next 2 years years and maybe forever if a vaccine isn't developed. What if the virus mutates?

Are you suggesting people stop traveling for good? Sooner or later we will have to learn to live with the virus.

kerouac

The EU is likely to decide on a global date for reopening the exterior borders of the EU, even if travel is allowed inside the EU before then. Nobody has dared to yet postulate on the target date, even though everybody is hoping for July. This said, it is quite possible there there will be a 14-day quarantine for anybody entering the EU even then. This is the year of domestic tourism, and that is not at all a bad thing.

BDKR

I think those countries which depend a great deal on tourism will risk opening their borders as soon as possible. September would be too late, because the holiday season is already gone by then. I think these countries aim for opening by July(still 2 months to go, fingers crossed): Greece, Croatia, Montenegro, Bulgaria, etc.

It's also likely that they'll restrict which nationalities will be welcomed. They'll of course prefer visitors from countries where the pandemic is over(China, South Korea) or only ever had relatively few cases(Hungary, Austria, Czechia, etc.). Right now Croatia is planning to open its border for the summer season for tourists from Hungary, Slovakia, Austria, Czechia, Poland.

I can also imagine that some countries will open only certain regions for tourism which are relatively isolated from the rest of the country, like the Canary Islands in Spain or Bali in Indonesia or the Red Sea resorts in Egypt. Tourists will be welcome to fly in, locals who live and work there will be requested not to travel to other parts of their country during the holiday season. In case of a new outbreak of the disease at these locations, it'll be contained and prevented to spread all over the country.

If some countries will gradually open their borders for tourists, the rest of this year(and perhaps even some of next year) it'll be the greatest opportunity(which may never return) to see otherwise hopelessly overcrowded destinations without the crowds. I avoided summers in Croatia in the last 15-20 years for this reason, but I would be happy to return now to see Dubrovnik once again without the crowds. Than we have Santorini, Cinque Terre, Venice, Florence, Rome, Brugge, Amsterdam, Prague, Barcelona, not to mention places on other continents(Machu Picchu, Angkor, etc)... So hard to choose, because you can't travel everywhere and the crowds will return in a couple of years even despite the economic crises. The overall number of tourists may be lower than before, but most tourists will continue flocking to the same famous destinations.

neckervd

"I don't come from a Covid-19 hotspot. My country has recorded very few cases"

That's not the question.
As long as you cannot drive (in your own car) directly from your home to your holiday destination, you will have to use planes, trains, metros, buses etc. and to pass through airports, metro stations, railway stations where you can easily get the virus.

cheska15

I really don’t get the desperate need to travel to anywhere in Europe in 2020. Europe and its people will still be there in 2021 hopefully in a better state. Seems that people are still thinking its all about me and my wants.

Rubicund

Sorry, this is a most irresponsible post and I doubt that many, if any, right thinking people would risk going to any of these countries this year. Far from being exciting news, it's an invitation to disaster. Can you really not do without unnecessary travel this year? Avoid the risk of contaminating friends and family plus anyone else with whom you come into contact and stay home.

BDKR

"Europe and its people will still be there in 2021 hopefully in a better state. Seems that people are still thinking its all about me and my wants."

We know for sure that the whole world(including Europe) will be a much worse shape in 2021 than before the pandemic, because of the resulting economic crises which will ruin the life(if not kill) much more people than the virus itself. If you're healthy, you like to travel and can afford it and there is a country which is welcoming you than it helps much more to go there and spend your money than to stay at home in your bunker waiting for the Apocalypse.

"Sorry, this is a most irresponsible post and I doubt that many, if any, right thinking people would risk going to any of these countries this year."

Most of us are not doctors, biologists, experts, politicians. If I was not told to stay at home I would not have cared about the virus at all and continued my life as usual. They told us to stay at home and I obeyed, because I trust them(not so much the politicians, but the experts).

If my government is letting me to travel abroad and some countries are ready to open their borders for us I won't hesitate to travel there.

When I'm told to safe to surf this beach, I'm going to surf.

kleeblatt

I don't find it irreponsible at all! Europe is very much dependent on tourism and many are hoping it will come sooner than later. Tourism will probably start with locals visiting other regions within their country and as borders start to open, they'll be slowly trickling into other places. People aren't booking right now but I believe holidays will be taken very spontaneously, depending on the situation. Life must and will go on...it's just a matter of time.

Heimdall

From what I’ve read in Greek sources, if tourism there is opened in July it will at first be for domestic tourists only (i.e. Greeks), then for tourists from Balkan countries who could travel to Greece by car. Later will be international tourists from other EU countries, including the UK until the end of 2020 when the transition period ends.

I’ve no idea when flights from outside Europe will begin, or from which countries it will be allowed. What I do know is that aviation and international tourism won’t be the same again as it was in 2019 for years to come.

Tulips

Most tourists in Europe come from other European countries, or are from their own country. France is the most popular tourist destination in Europe, but only about 5% of visitors come from the US.
The EU will open it's internal borders first, and will wait to see how the situation develops in the US before allowing flights to resume.

BDKR

"aviation and international tourism won’t be the same again as it was in 2019 for years to come."

This may be one of the few positive consequences of this pandemic. The world neads a bit of respite from the excesses of overtourism. The aviation industry was suffering from a lack of pilots, lack of capacity at many airports and overcrowding in certain airspaces(over Europe). Tourism and aviation, both need a quick recovery, but only up to a sustainable level.

If many airlines go bankrupt and airfares will rise, this may help to convince much more people to travel by train wherever this is a viable alternative. There is already a positive develoment in France. Air France asked for financial help from the government and they said it's OK, but the airline must suspend the domestic flights competing with the high-speed trains of SNCF.

kerouac

Perhaps more than the health shock, many people will be even more shocked by a 100% or more increase in air fares.

BDKR

On the other hand Ryanair announced they'll try lure passangers back with ultra-low cost flights once the flights restart.

https://www.thesun.co.uk/money/11523...avirus-crisis/

I'm not sure that airfares are going to rise significantly(certainly 100% looks way too much). The demand will be lower, fuel cheap. Why do you think airfares are going to increase that much?

loacker_thegreat

Why would it be irresponsible to travel once social distancing measures are lifted?
Many people's livelihood depends on the tourism sector.

TheOp

I suspect that most countries in East Africa will open to tourism in the Summer. Covid cases in Uganda and Rwanda are not particularly high. The two governments locked down their borders and asked everyone to stay home with curfews starting at 7PM. The number of cases in Africa is rising by the day but we hope it doesn't get to a horrible level.

Traveler_Nick

The more airlines go bankrupt the more cheap aircraft,crews and even airport slots.

The airlines are going to be facing a fairly simple prisoner's dilemma. They can cut capacity and hike prices. Hoping all the other airlines do the same. Or they can keep capacity and hope the other airlines hike prices. Unless they collude I have trouble believing they'll all cut capacity and hike prices.

What I find strange is nobody is asking why SNCF fares are so high that Air France could compete on those routes? Here in Italy virtually nobody would think about taking a flight over a high speed train . The people who do are mainly connecting. The cost to just get to the airport and back (Taxi,bus or train) often ends up higher than the train ticket. Obviously train centre to centre tends to be quicker.

The question to ask is Air France forbidden from connecting passengers? If for example you're on a flight that connects in Paris before heading to Nice is Air France no longer going to do that? If that's the new rule I'll bet they'll just connect in Germany,Italy or Spain.

kerouac

Air France is only eliminating flights that trains can serve in less than 2 and a half hours, so Nice is not at all concerned in terms of Paris. But people like to circulate "infox."