As vaccinated travelers became popular property

(CNN) – The headlines of “Plague Island” that splattered the front pages said it all.

With infection rates out of control and deaths exceeding 125,000, the UK started 2021 as Europe’s Covid pariah.

However, after a vaccination program that has meant that more than a third of all adults receive at least one dose, countries across Europe and tour operators who have struggled for the past twelve months are starting to his willingness to welcome the tired British summer sun.

Harry Theoharis, Greece’s tourism minister, said this week at the ITB Tourism virtual conference that the country would welcome anyone vaccinated, who could prove he had antibodies or presented a negative PCR test.

Declaring “All you want is Greece”, his passionate plea has launched a race to get unsecured cash for tourists, which authorities across the Mediterranean hope will increase communities that have lost millions over the past year .

Spain, which attracted more than 18 million British travelers in 2019, and Portugal, have also said they are willing to blow up the British as soon as it is safe.

Of course there is a market as well. ABTA, a UK travel association, says 63% of Britons expect to book holidays abroad by 2021.

There is only one puzzling problem. It is still illegal to leave the UK for a holiday. This week, the country’s Transport Minister Grant Shapps warned that it is still too early to book a trip abroad.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has written May 17 as the fastest possible date on which international travel will be allowed.

Foster the confidence of travelers

This does not seem to deter European countries and tour operators from going everywhere to attract visitors or tourists from the reservation.

Thomas Cook said he saw a 25% increase in inquiries about the Mediterranean island of Cyprus following his announcement of plans for vaccinated travelers.

From fully flexible booking offers, to tourism officials announcing the fall in the Covid number, there is an undeniable effort to invite tourists to book as soon as possible.

For Luis Araujo, president of tousim body VisitPortugal, it is definitely not too early to close the holidays.

“They have to book immediately,” he says when asked if potential tourists should wait before booking the summer vacation.

“We need to build trust with tour operators and travel agencies. If we don’t have this proactive reaction when it comes to booking or requesting travel, it will take longer to recover … What we need now is mobility.

“And we need it now because every day that passes is a day we miss.”

More than 25,000 people received training in 2020, and 12,000 more have already been trained this year, he says.

With a rate of infection falling rapidly, to 83.2 per 100,000, Araujo is keen to point out that Portugal is going through the worst and will soon be ready to welcome tourists again.

It’s not just about vaccinated visitors. Araujo wants anyone who can prove he is free of Covid, either by providing a negative test or proving that he has antibodies or that he has a vaccine, to be able to visit Portugal.

“Change has to move from considering‘ dangerous ’countries to looking at people and people’s risk,” he says.

“It controls the pandemic while allowing people to enter the country. It is not just a country for vaccinated people.

“It’s important to keep in mind that people, even from high-risk countries, can enter if they have evidence that they are not contaminated.”

Clearer Covid secure credentials

Araujo wants to emphasize that Portugal does not compete with other European countries for vaccinated tourists.

Rather, there needs to be cooperation across the European Union to provide standardized safety standards to start travel safely again.

“I think the competition is to build trust and get planes in the air,” he says. “It’s not about discussing whether we have five more tourists than Greece or 10 less than Spain.”

Operators are also making their Covid secure credentials clearer as international travel approaches.

“We have a dedicated team to ensure that our accommodation, bicycle and taxi providers comply with all applicable Covid standards and have the appropriate security measures in place, such as improved room cleaning between stays and spacing. physical, ”says Simon Wrench of Inntravel, an operator that offers walking and cycling holidays in Cyprus, Spain and Slovenia.

Meanwhile, Greece is said to prioritize vaccines for residents of 40 small islands with a population of 1,000 or less, including Haiki, Kastellorizo ​​and Meganisi, before vaccinating people on popular tourist islands such as Mykonos and Crete.

The goal is to vaccinate as many people working in the tourism industry as possible, making it safer for them and for visitors to the process.

“We believe that the latest announcement by the Minister of Tourism about the welcome of Greece to British tourists from mid-May and the protocols needed to travel to Greece will help build consumer confidence before the summer season,” says Dimos Stasinopoulos , CEO of Epoch Collection, which has properties in Santorini and Athens.

“We will introduce a number of security measures at OMMA Santorini when it opens in May and will offer flexible cancellation policies to relax the minds of our customers.

“OMMA Santorini security measures include temperature controls, security kits in each room, frequent cleaning protocols according to WHO standards and disinfected key cards.”

Israel’s green step

And it’s not just the British who are being cut by tourist spots in southern Europe.

Israel has the most successful vaccine program in the world, with 4.8 million of its 9 million people completely vaccinated with two doses and 80% have had at least one punch.

“For such a small country, almost everyone travels by plane, so it’s very difficult for them to be‘ closed, ’” says Andrea Bertoli, deputy general manager of lm group.

“In echoes similar to what is happening in the UK as the vaccine program accelerates, the talk [in Israel] it has been about the opening of heaven.

“In fact, in Israel, it’s probably one of the main aspects of the Covid-19 talks since infection rates started to go down.”

The country has included travel agreements with Cyprus and Greece, but plans to introduce strict rules amid concerns about imports of more contagious variants of Covid-19.

Bertoli explains that travelers will need the so-called “green passport” to prove they have been vaccinated, with no travel allowed until 10 days after a second dose.

Israel’s high levels of vaccination also mean it is ripe to attract visitors looking for a safe break from Covid.

“The successful launch of Israel’s vaccination has given hope for the return of international tourism,” says Sharon E. Bershadsky, director of the Government of Israel’s Tourism Office in the UK.

“It is allowing the industry to plan the return of tourists in the not-too-distant future, making Israel not only an attractive destination, but a healthy destination.”

Bershadsky is optimistic that tourists will return “soon.” And with its near-complete vaccination program, it could mean the country is enjoying a tourist boom while others catch up.

Too early to book

Although councils and tour operators make every effort to show that they can safely welcome visitors, the fact remains that leisure travel will not be possible for at least a few weeks.

While that may change, booking right now is a major risk according to Rory Boland, travel editor at the consumer website which.co.uk.

“Our advice is to be too early to book,” he says. “You don’t know where you can go or when you can go and booking right now opens up the financial risk for you.”

Boland also points out that stories about rising demand do not tell the whole story.

“Some of the headlines you’ve seen increase bookings by 500% come from very low original figures,” he says

“Yes, there is a group of people, particularly the elderly, who feel more secure in booking holidays abroad in countries that make noise to allow access to vaccinated people. There are still many risks.”

Boland highlights the fact that, as with the British government’s heavily mocked traveler policy in 2020, destinations could end up on the “red list” while holidaymakers are on the beach or lying in the pool.

This could mean having to put a quarantine in a facility managed at its own cost, which would not be covered by insurance.

In addition, there is the added cost of Covid tests, which are likely to be required three to five times on a trip, depending on the destination. Currently, a PCR test costs around £ 100 ($ 139), which soon adds up if you’re a family of four.

Green corridors

“We ask that travel companies be at the forefront,” Boland adds. “You can’t keep promising that flexibility will cover you every time, because it won’t do it right now.”

While it may be too early to book, vaccines seem the safest way for trips to start again safely.

“We are really optimistic that a green corridor agreement will be accepted between individual countries, if not a common green passport across Europe and the UK,” says Andrea Bertoli.

“While it’s not a big tourist boost, it means we’re sure we can put the key in touch.”

While a unified vaccine passport is unlikely to be agreed soon, there is no denying that those who can prove to be immune to Covid are likely to feed the travel industry for the rest of 2021 and well into 2022.

The race for reservations is underway.