anikamiller8419

I am concerned about not being able to experience international travel this year. There are high hopes still, but how sure can we be? We were excited to travel with our daughter to Europe. however I am afraid we will have to postpone our dream trip to 2021 or 2022, who knows. We would love to travel somewhere warm and close to the sea, like Spain, Greece or Croatia.

Heimdall

International travel may open up before the end of 2020, but not necessarily in the way we have become accustomed in the past. Will there be quarantines when you return home, or indeed at your destination? Will travel be allowed from countries that don’t have Covid-19 fully under control? Will air fares be higher? Will all the airlines and routes still be operating? I wish I knew answers to those questions, as I have relatives I would like to visit on three continents.

hetismij2

The citizens of some EU/EEA/Schengen countries may be allowed to visit other EU countries, provided you can go by car, and obey whatever rules they have in place. Maybe. Depends on how things go as the lockdowns are eased, amongst other things.
I am not sure I would want to spend a Transatlantic flight plus all the travel to from and through the airports wearing a facemask, or be willing to face exposure to the virus or risk exposing others to it. I am not sure you could get travel insurance for international travel now, certainly not to cover health or cancellations. You would certainly need good health cover just in case. Whilst generally cheaper than US health care a stay in an ICU is not cheap no matter where you are.
A holiday in your own country, even your own state wouldn't be so awful for one year would it? There must be places you have never visited which could prove at least as interesting as a trip to Europe.

neckervd

"Under the best-case scenario, Greece will be open for business and welcoming tourists in July, provided that the EU has agreed on health protocols for travel, the country’s prime minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, said on Monday.Speaking to CNN’s Nic Robertson in Athens, on the occasion of Greece easing its Covid-19 restrictions, the Greek PM said that it is going to be a very “different summer” this year.

Referring to the country’s tourism sector, PM Mitsotakis said tourists are not coming to Greece at the moment – “during the first stage” – and that the real question is if the country will we be able to have tourists come later in the summer.

The PM said it is possible only if specific (health) protocols are agreed “hopefully at a European level”, which may see travelers getting tested before they fly to Greece and then carefully monitored upon arrival with an antibody or a PCR test.

“Τhe tourism experience this summer will be slightly different from what you’ve had in previous years, with more social distancing, maybe no bars and no tight crowds but they (tourists) will still get a fantastic experience in Greece provided the global epidemic is on a downward path,” the PM said, adding that the best-case scenario sees Greece “open for business” as of July 1.

“We’re working and preparing towards that but of course it involves airlines – because most people fly into Greece – and very strict but also enforceable protocols,” he said.

When asked by Robertson to give a percentage on how big the economic loss may be, PM Mitsotakis referred to a contraction of 10 percent.

“…It is going to be much worse if we don’t open up at all for the summer… It is going to be a very different summer but we hope that the worse is behind us,” he said.

Referring to how well Greece managed to contain the coronavirus from spreading in the country, PM Mitsotakis that what he keep as a legacy of the crisis is the sense of collective success.

“I dare to use the word pride. Greeks haven’t been proud in a long, long time,” he said.

The coronavirus has so far infected 2,632 people in Greece and the death toll has reached 146, still among the lowest among EU member-states"

https://news.gtp.gr/2020/05/05/pm-mi...greek-tourism/
https://edition.cnn.com/videos/world...tl-ldn-vpx.cnn

Lois2

maybe I miss it but there seems to be no spot to indicate your home country. Therefore the title "Domestic Travel" really is difficult to answer. If you are from US your chances seem very low to travel internationally this year. Maybe and hopefully 2021. If in EU they are talking a bit more although it seems a mistake for a county like Greece who has done so well to let UK (still a hot spot) travelers in. And if they do it will be a very different vacation for those that venture out. All in all not a question that anyone has the answer to now...just speculation.

anikamiller8419

I'm from the U.S. and I was planning a trip to Europe. Given the circumstances, hopes are low. It is very unfortunate to encounter such restrictions and not being able to travel out of the country.

anikamiller8419

Most probably we'll look into destinations for 2021 in Europe and plan our vacations within car reach in the U.S. Indeed the country has lots to offer and I haven't seen enough yet. The situation is still difficult and while being far from over, I would not put our or anyone's lives at risk. Since, it is so dependent on tourism, hopefully, Europe will survive and tourism will recover its initial strength.

Dukey1

Just received an email from London about a West End show we had booked for September which has been cancelled because of the corona virus situation. The company is "hoping" to reschedule for 2021 and has made no provision for ticket refunds YET but I suspect that info will soon be following. We had a second show booked for the same week and no word about that but am watching closely. We cancelled this segment of our trip (hotels and airline tickets) weeks ago.

elbegewa

"It is very unfortunate to encounter such restrictions and not being able to travel out of the country."

It is even more unfortunate for those who get sick or worse, or for those businesses in both the US and the rest of the world who have failed or are failing because of the collapse of tourism and collapse of other industries, and it's unfortunate for those who are now unemployed and without reserves.

For the sake of the tourist industry and those it employes (it makes up a gigantic percentage of the economy of many countries) I long for the return to a "new normal".

But right now we're all caught together, caught by the ebb and flow of events throughout history. We need to support each other, and work for a brighter future. In the meantime, I'm still travelling, but instead of in person, I'm travelling via blogs and reading and an inquisitive mind.

kleeblatt

Switzerland is slowly easing out of lockdown. As of Monday, I can finally go clothes shopping again and kids will be back at school. As of June 6, life will be almost back to normal except for the ban on large gatherings. As for crossing the border, the German/Swiss border should open again on May 15, assuming there isn't a significant increase in infections.

Edit: Here's an excerpt from the Engadin (St. Moritz) tourism board:

The (holiday) time has come: Soon, the Engadin restaurants and other hotels will reopen, and from Monday, 11 May 2020, you will once more enjoy many happy holiday moments in our alpine valley. Those of you who would like to start planning already can book their dream accommodation comfortably in our webshop.
https://www.engadin.ch/en/covid-19/

kleeblatt

But things WILL open again and it may be just a matter of weeks. My motto is: stay at home now so we can ease the lockdown ASAP. Even it's only domestic travel, people will begin travelling again.

Tulips

Dukey, so far I have received refunds for the theatre tickets I had booked; one was in March, one in July. This was an automatic process, I didn't have to contact them.

Dukey1

Yes, I would THINK a refund is going to BE automatic as all of the shows we were to see in New York in April were automatically refunded over time. We had a second show booked in London for the following night which I assume, as yet, is still scheduled. I am wondering if that will change. Our refunds from New York came pretty quickly; the Edinburgh Tattoo refund will take as long as 60 days (that money they collected earns interest after all) and I have no idea how long the London refund(s) will take.

mlgb

Since anika is a new poster with children, I'm guessing that she might be one of those younger people who came over from Thorntree, and isn't familiar with the MUCH OLDER and more vulnerable Fodor's cohort.

Welcome to the Europe Forum.

hetismij2

I think tourism within Europe will open up gragually. Whether Tourism from outside Europe opens up is another matter. It will depend very much on the situation in the counry from which you wish to travel. So from New Zealand or Australia you will be welcomed sooner than from the US.
The tourism industry in Europe relies heavily on other Europeans. Those from outside Europe are a small percentage.
Some countries within Europe are still wanting a 14 day quarantaine period for those outside the EU/EEA/UK which would make a trip to Europe for most Americans a waste of their valuable vacation time this year.
The EU is expected to extend the ban on non essential travel from outside the Union.
Greece may be raring to go, but only for those it thinks are safe, and only those EU rules and neighbouring countries rules will allow in.
Many cities and indeed countries are looking at ways to make tourism more climate friendly, so less mass tourism and cheap hotels/flights, more slow travel. Reduction of internal and short haul flights are amongst things being looked at.
I hope we can take this opportunity to make any travel more planet friendly, so that there is still a planet here for our children and grandchildren.

twk

Travel discussion does not endanger anyone.

twk

It certainly does seem likely that any initial opening of European borders to travelers from outside the EU may include a quarantine, which will render that opening not very useful to non-EU tourism. From what I've read, that kind of opening may happen in July.

New Zealand and Australia present an interesting dilemma, less for Europe and more for those two countries. They have done so swell in keeping the virus out that they may be reluctant to let people in--I saw some discussion about a temporary free travel agreement where NZ and Australia residents could travel between the two countries. If they are going to continue with a full suppression approach, they may have to restrict their own residents from traveling to outside areas, or require them to quarantine upon return.

kleeblatt

Hi Anika
Sorry about the aggressive tone by some on this board. We can be quite crabby at times.
I'm afraid it's not just Europe that's dependent on tourism but many other countries throughout the world including the US. Domestic travel will boom this year as more places are opening. I know I'd love to do a bike ride through the Gstaad, Simmental area in Switzerland. Engadin will enjoy a summer of Swiss tourists. Our southern canton, Tessin, on the other hand, may experience fewer domestic tourists due to its reputation of being a CV hotspot. Luckily, people have short memories and I truly believe international travel will be available latest September again.

Lois2

Boy this thread really took off in a bad direction...early on I asked what domestic travel would be for the OP..ie what is their home country. She came on a replied US and therefore my answer would be don't continue any expectation of European travel this year. In fact much of US is on the RISE for cases and many places far from Peak which is expected in summer...any plans other than near home are probably uncertain at best. US is opening up as the virus is spreading in much of the country and I think given the patchwork nature of the reopening we are in for some rough times over the summer. That term "virtue signaling" is yet another term coined out of this pandemic and is indeed offensive at least to me.

ET

Just as bad in the US. DW and I had tickets to see Celine Dion April 8th. Ticketmaster says all tour shows have been “postponed.” No refunds at this time. No idea as to when or if they will be rescheduled. Imagine all of the millions of dollars they are sitting on.