The European Commission announced that it is planning to reboot tourism in the region by mid-June.
The executive branch of the European Union (EU) said that it has already unveiled guidelines on how to gradually resume travel for this year, noting that “as soon as the health situation allows, people should be able to catch up with friends and family, in their own EU country or across borders, with all the safety and precautionary measures needed in place.”
The Commission said that one of the guidelines discussed in the outline includes easing restrictions in areas and member states that have seen a significant decrease in the number of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases. It added that travel in improving destinations must be focused on, provided of course they adhere to the guidelines set by European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC).
Some of the countries that have announced easing of border restrictions by June 15 include Austria, France, Switzerland, and Germany. Spain and Iceland, meanwhile, will allow international tourists provided they undergo either COVID-19 testing or a two-week quarantine.
The outline also tackled plans to resume transport services across the region—either by air, rail, or water—while safeguarding the welfare of transport workers and passengers. In addition, tracing apps must be voluntary among tourists, and they must be transparent and secure.
