Last month, I posted that it appeared that Spain was set to keep tourism on hold through Christmas. It certainly wasn’t a happy thought, but that was what the Spanish government was thinking at the time.
In this article
Spanish Government: Borders Closed Until October
The Spanish government now seems to be making more of a plan, however it isn’t great news. It seems like the government has moved past the general thinking on tourism and into more of a real plan that includes when they would even allow tourists back (regardless of when it reopens more leisure-oriented activities back up for its own citizens before).
Unfortunately this new, more formal plan, posted on Spanish website El Economista (you can read the rough English translation here) states that tourists would likely not be allowed to enter Spain’s borders before October. This isn’t 100% confirmed and it could wind up earlier or, perhaps, later like the original Christmastime thinking, but it certainly provides a likely timeline.
El Economista writes: “After determining the stages in which there will be a return to “a new normal” , the Government has issued an “indicative timetable” on the dates and measures that will be taken as the fight against the coronavirus progresses. In it, without “exhaustive character” it is expected that the borders will not be reopened until October, which would leave Spain with a summer without foreign tourism.”
(HT: TravelZork)
Germany Borders Appear Closed through the Summer as Well
In the same article, it states that Germany has advised citizens to plan on summer holidays being domestic ones.
Quote: “Something that other states of the European Union such as Germany have already contemplated. The German government started last Monday on the basis that the citizens of their country will not be able to take their holidays abroad this summer because of the pandemic, although they did encourage internal tourism. “Big trips abroad will not be possible. Everything points to a holiday program in the interior. I think that will be possible this summer,” said the head of Tourism of the German Ministry of Industry, Thomas Bareiss, after a videoconference. with his colleagues in the European Union.”
It goes without saying that if they won’t let German citizens leave, they won’t be letting foreigners in either. I reported recently that Germany has also already cancelled 2020’s Oktoberfest.
All of Europe?
Originally, I was of the thinking that all of the Schengen Zone countries (Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland) would coordinate together.
But Greece has indicated a desire to be open from July – a stark contrast to what Spain and Germany are saying.
So, it may not be the case that Europe will do anything unified on this front.
Austria Using Rapid COVID-19 Tests to Restart Tourism
Austria has gone the route of a 14 day mandatory quarantine (or a test within the last 4 days showing no COVID) instead of a border closure. But you can now simply pay for an on-arrival test and wait 3 hours for results before going on your way.
It goes to show that testing is crucial and as the world ramps up testing, those that can prove they are COVID-free may get back to traveling just a bit quicker than others. I suspect some countries that are currently contemplating long border closures may at some point offer rapid testing as a way to shorten the duration of zero tourism, given how badly tourism dollars are needed.
How does this impact your thoughts on 2020 travel?
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