As soon as the main holiday season is over, the autumn holidays are already on in some federal states. But if you want to travel, you should inform yourself well. An overview shows what needs to be considered when the number of infections and entry regulations increase.
Laze on the beach in the autumn sun or go hiking in the Alps: the planning for the autumn vacation has long since started. There are just four weeks left until the first federal states start their vacation on October 5, with Hamburg, Hesse, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Schleswig-Holstein.
The rest will follow by the end of October. But what is even possible on vacation? While the corona situation in Germany is comparatively relaxed, some European holiday countries are arming themselves with new rules and requirements in view of the increasing number of infections. An overview of which travel destinations are in demand and what needs to be considered in the countries:
DEMAND: Spain is in demand as a travel destination despite Corona. "There are still a lot of bookings," says the world's largest travel company Tui in Hanover. The Canaries should also be reopened soon. Greece, with a focus on Crete, Corfu and Rhodes, is also currently popular. In addition, the tourism experts hope that many customers will also book last-minute vacations. However, Tui recorded the greatest increase in autumn for trips within Germany. "Many people have booked hiking or sports holidays at home – or skipped summer and went straight into autumn."
Vacation: This is how the risk areas are determined
RISK AREAS: If you want to go abroad, you should take a look at an online list from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) before leaving. There it is constantly updated which countries are considered risk areas for German holidaymakers – with a corresponding quarantine obligation on return.
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"A country is no longer classified as a risk area if there is a stable epidemiological trend below the mark of 50 new infections per 100,000 inhabitants per week," explains the Ministry of Health. In addition to the sheer number, other factors are included, which are evaluated together with the Ministry of the Interior and Foreign Ministry: for example the type and extent of outbreaks and crisis measures to contain corona, such as tests.
Travel: The situation in Spain is so critical
SPAIN: Spain is still a risk area. But on the holiday island of Mallorca, which is particularly popular with many Germans, hoteliers, tour operators and innkeepers hope that the tourists will return soon. Although there are currently hardly any holidaymakers on "Malle", according to the industry, 230 hotels were last in operation.
Nevertheless, the Corona lagre in the Balearic Islands remains tense, according to information from the Federal Foreign Office. Local curfews apply in communities, districts or residential areas with high numbers of infections, e.g. in particularly affected districts in Palma and also on Ibiza.
The Canary Islands, which Berlin was the last region in Spain to be put on the "black list" of areas with a travel warning, are also looking much better. Currently, the archipelago just barely misses the limit of 50 infections per 100,000 inhabitants with 55.5.
The Spanish Foreign Minister Arancha González Laya announced that negotiations had been started with Great Britain, Germany and Scandinavian countries on the establishment of so-called security corridors to the islands in the Mediterranean and the Atlantic. She is optimistic that the talks will "bear fruit". "Not too soon, not this week, because the talks have only just started." One will "inevitably have to find ways to live together with the pandemic".
Holidays in Italy – the following rules apply in these regions
ITALY: After very low numbers of infections in June and July, the number of corona cases in Italy has recently risen again. The number of new infections with the coronavirus last Friday was 1907 – the highest value since the beginning of May.
Italy does not have as many newly infected people as Spain or France, for example, but according to the Ministry of Health, the numbers have been rising steadily on average for six weeks.
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In Italy there are still rules such as a mask requirement on public transport and at night in public squares. In contrast, there are no entry restrictions for most EU countries. However, the popular holiday island of Sardinia is required to show a negative corona test upon entry or to be tested upon arrival.
Travel to Greece and Cyprus – that is important to note
GREECE and CYPRUS: In contrast to other destinations, Greece and Cyprus continue to have low corona numbers. Here the number of cases increases more slowly and to a significantly lower level. Entry from Germany is permitted, but travelers must register on the website at least 48 hours before the start of their journey and state where they are coming from.
In addition, those arriving at airports and ports are randomly subjected to corona tests. In both countries, it is compulsory to wear a mask in closed rooms – such as banks or supermarkets. In more frequented regions, however, the rules can also be tightened: in Athens and Thessaloniki or on Crete, masking is mandatory even outdoors, bars and restaurants have to close at midnight.
Travel: These are the current rules in Switzerland
SWITZERLAND: In view of the increasing number of cases, Switzerland has readjusted its entry regulations. Now travelers from 50 countries and regions worldwide have to be in a ten-day quarantine. This currently also includes the Austrian state of Vienna. The quarantine requirement cannot be lifted with a negative PCR test. Those who come from Germany have not yet been affected by the restrictions.
If the number of cases continues to rise, people from the regions along the Swiss border can, as an exception, be exempted from the quarantine obligation. In Switzerland itself, the number of corona infections has been climbing again for a few weeks. More and more cities are introducing a mask requirement. The cantons of Geneva, Waadt (Vaud) and Friborg (Friborg) are currently classified as risk areas.
Austria: These are the current corona rules
AUSTRIA: In the Alpine republic, the number of new infections has recently risen dramatically. The capital region of Vienna is particularly badly affected.
That is why it is now again mandatory to wear a mask in shops nationwide. The conditions for events outside and inside have also been tightened significantly. The rules for entry and transit from Germany are not affected by the new measures. It is possible without any problems.
Only those who were in a region that is considered to be a corona risk area in Austria in the ten days before must prove a negative PCR test or be in quarantine for entry with a stay. Random checks are carried out at the borders with Hungary, Slovenia and Italy.
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