From Tuesday (00:01 a.m.), all holidaymakers from Spain who have not been vaccinated or recovered must go into quarantine when entering Germany. The requirement stipulates that the travelers drive home immediately after arrival and isolate themselves there for at least five days. From the fifth day onwards, they can free themselves from quarantine with a negative rapid antigen test (or PCR test).
The following applies to all holidaymakers: In addition to a vaccination certificate, proof of recovery or rapid antigen test (or PCR), returnees need the digital entry registration. Vacationers can register here. The purpose of the form is to enable the responsible health authorities and offices to control entry. The information is checked and the quarantine requirement is determined.
For those who have not been vaccinated, a holiday in Spain becomes an expensive affair. In many cases, employers do not have to pay those affected who have to be quarantined. In many cases, vacationers have to take unpaid leave and contact the responsible health authority because of the loss of earnings.
Only those who have symptoms and feel feverish, battered or ill can have a doctor put them on sick leave.
For which holiday countries does this rule apply?
- Egypt (High incidence area since January 24, 2021)
- Argentina (High incidence area since April 18, 2021)
- Bolivia (High incidence area since January 24, 2021)
- Chile (High incidence area since April 3, 2021)
- Costa Rica (High incidence area since May 9, 2021)
- Ecuador (High incidence area since January 31, 2021)
- Fiji (High incidence area since July 11, 2021)
- Georgia (High incidence area since July 25, 2021; simple risk area from June 13 to July 24, 2021)
- India (High incidence area since July 7, 2021)
- Indonesia (High incidence area since July 18, 2021)
- Iran (High incidence area since January 24, 2021)
- Colombia (High incidence area since January 24, 2021)
- Cuba (High incidence area since July 18, 2021)
- Kuwait (High incidence area since March 21, 2021)
- Libya (High incidence area since July 18, 2021)
- Malaysia (High incidence area since June 13, 2021)
- Mongolia (High incidence area since June 13, 2021)
- Nepal (High incidence area since July 7, 2021)
- Netherlands – Including the autonomous countries and the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom of the Netherlands (high incidence area since July 27, 2021; all of the mainland Netherlands (July 18, 2021) and Sint Maarten (July 6, 2021) are considered simple risk areas until July 26, 2021)
- Oman (High incidence area since June 20, 2021)
- Paraguay (High incidence area since March 21, 2021)
- Peru (High incidence area since April 3, 2021)
- Portugal including the autonomous regions of Madeira and Azores – (high incidence area since July 7, 2021)
- Russia (High incidence area since July 7, 2021)
- Seychelles (High incidence area since February 14, 2021)
- Spain including the Balearic and Canary Islands (high incidence area since July 27, 2021; simple risk area from July 11, 2021 to July 26, 2021)
- Sudan (High incidence area since January 31, 2021)
- Suriname (High incidence area since May 23, 2021)
- Syria (High incidence area since January 31, 2021)
- Tanzania (High incidence area since March 14, 2021)
- Tunisia (High incidence area since April 25, 2021)
- United Kingdom of Great Britain (High incidence area since July 7, 2021)
- Cyprus (High incidence area since July 11, 2021)
Can I cancel my vacation now for free?
If travelers do not want to take a vacation, they have to cancel it. If the trip is canceled by the provider, vacationers must be compensated.
But if the trip takes place, the cancellation is linked to the applicable booking conditions.
A In principle, travelers are always entitled to a refund of taxes and travel fees. “Vacationers have the right to cancel a booked package tour free of charge if the travel destination is declared a high incidence area after booking,” said consumer advocates when asked by FOCUS Online.
If there are cancellation fees, travelers should ask for a detailed listing. The travel agent must then show how the cancellation fees are made up. If the organizer cannot do this, there is no reason to impose cancellation fees.
Due to the corona pandemic, most airlines have introduced flexible booking conditions so that flights can be rebooked or vouchers can be issued.
How do I cancel my vacation?
If consumers want to cancel their package tour, it is particularly important that this is made verifiable.
“The trip should be canceled directly with the package tour operator, i.e. the company named on the package travel insurance certificate. Otherwise, you unnecessarily bear the risk of the agent sending it to the organizer in good time, ”says Roosbeh Karimi, travel law expert from GetRight consumer service. Such intermediaries are usually online providers, travel agencies or comparison portals.
At some events this works easily via email. Simply send the message with a mandatory confirmation of receipt. “At best, you put another person of trust on” CC “so that you can also prove the content of the email in case of doubt,” says Karimi.
Alternatively, cancellation of the trip should be made by registered mail. Consumers should definitely keep their registered receipt, as well as the resignation declaration that was sent by letter. “At best, the shipment tracking should also be saved,” says the travel law expert.
Organizers could stand in the way – travelers need to know that
“Many organizers would now apparently try to shift the risk of the hazardous situation onto the consumer,” predicts Karimi. They would argue that the pandemic, which has been raging since last year, would no longer constitute an exceptional circumstance overall.
The accusation of the events industry: In view of the dynamic situation, travelers have to allow for a certain risk when traveling. Incidentally, travel lawyer Paul Degott from Hanover also sees it similarly. “Anyone who books a trip in a crisis situation also has to accept crisis-related circumstances,” says the lawyer. He recommends finding out about the possibilities of cancellation in advance.
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