The COVID-19 pandemic has dealt a heavy blow to Europe's tourism industry. EU Tourism Ministers recently convened via videoconference to devise strategies for this summer, prioritizing nations with the lowest infection rates. France, however, faces steeper hurdles.
With no COVID-19 vaccine yet available, a key question looms: Can Europe salvage its summer tourism? As outlined in the European Council's April 27, 2020, press release, ministers explored "tourist corridors" linking low-impact countries. They also considered allowing uninfected travelers to cross borders via "health passports" verifying negative tests upon entry. The stakes are immense—tourism accounts for 10.3% of EU GDP and 11.7% of jobs.
Initial focus: corridors between Slovakia, Croatia, and the Czech Republic, all with relatively low COVID-19 case counts. Heavily affected nations like France, Spain, and Italy are currently excluded. Portugal, grappling with rising infections, remains sidelined until improvements.
Italy's La Repubblica reports a bold local proposal: Plexiglas enclosures on beaches to maintain social distancing. While innovative, its appeal to policymakers and vacationers is uncertain.
Not all progress awaits EU consensus. Austria and Germany plan to reopen borders by June 15. Baltic states—Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia—have already lifted internal checks. France and the UK are negotiating a bilateral deal to waive quarantines for mutual travelers.
Greece has secured an agreement with Israel to host one million tourists under strict health protocols and is pursuing similar pacts elsewhere.
