Last minute is booming! What travelers need to consider this fall

For the travel industry, the low and high season of summer holidays is coming to an end. But autumn, with its strong sales, is just around the corner. Tour operators and travel agencies are therefore looking forward to the next few weeks and months with excitement. An increasing incidence, the delta variant and the low vaccination rate are causing uncertainty – even among consumers.

This also means that last-minute offers for trips abroad will boom again this autumn. “The demand is there, but there is uncertainty,” explains Monika W., travel agent from Munich in an interview with FOCUS Online.

Consumers tend to book their vacation trips at short notice. This is also evident from a current industry analysis that is available to FOCUS Online. Southern Turkey, the Canary Islands, Greece, the Maldives and the Caribbean are on the wish list of many travelers. But Dubai is also in demand in autumn. The mild one weather also invites you to swim in October.

The golden autumn in Germany is also in demand. Travelers are interested in the Alpine region, the Sauerland and the islands of Rügen, Sylt and Pellworm.

What worries do travelers have?

“Many are afraid that because of an outbreak they will no longer come out of the country or that they will have to be quarantined when they return”; says the travel expert.

Holidaymakers should know that the federal government only classifies travel destinations as high-risk areas when the incidence rises. Anyone who ends up in quarantine as a holidaymaker in other European countries does not have to pay for food and accommodation. The costs are borne by the EU.

Outside of the EU, things are different. Here travelers need private international travel insurance that covers higher amounts. This also makes the vacation more expensive.

A quarantine obligation applies within the EU only to unvaccinated persons and can be interrupted after five days with a negative antigen rapid test. Children under the age of 12 leave the isolation after the fifth day without another rapid test.

The classification “high risk area” primarily has a deterrent effect. A direct travel ban is not linked to this. Incidentally, “virus variant areas” no longer exist since the beginning of August.

What do travelers have to consider from autumn onwards?

In German hotels, the submission of a negative rapid antigen test for unvaccinated persons applies from 23 August. You must show the document upon arrival. Vaccinated and convalescents must provide their evidence. There is also an obligation to test and provide evidence in restaurants, theaters, museums and amusement parks. The rapid test certificates, which are available free of charge in every test center and in the pharmacy until October 11, are valid for 24 hours from the date of issue.

Those who have been vaccinated and those who have recovered need their evidence. In paper form or digitally.

CovPass apps for Android & iOS are available here:

Anyone traveling abroad should find out about the applicable measures on site before departure. The German embassy in the holiday destination can also help. In the meantime, governments within the EU are introducing compulsory masks both indoors and outdoors. This is the case in Greece, Spain, Cyprus or Italy, for example. As the delta variant spreads, the incidence and hospitalization rate increase. Travelers should also know these values ​​for their holiday destination.

Just like the rules for applicable test and verification obligations. Unvaccinated people should expect to have to pay more money for rapid antigen tests from October onwards. Local governments are abolishing grants and caps. This ensures that prices for tests rise overall. In Germany, the free test will be discontinued from October 11th. Consumers should then pay between 10 and 20 euros for the rapid antigen test.

The following applies to the evidence: German citizens are considered to have recoveredif they have a positive PCR test that is six months old or less.

Vaccinated people need:

  • proof of recovery and vaccination,
  • two vaccinations with the same vaccine each (either Astrazeneca, Biontech or Moderna),
  • a vaccination with the active ingredient from Johnson & Johnson or else
  • a cross vaccination (Astrazeneca and Biontech or Astrazeneca and Moderna).

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