Speech by Executive Vice-President Margrethe Vestager on the Tourism and Transport Package and Speech by Commissioner Breton on the Tourism & Transport Package

(...) We have to work together, to keep travel safe as Europeans start to cross borders again. That's why the European Commission has adopted a package of guidance and recommendations today, to coordinate a safe return to travel and tourism this summer.

This package is built on the Joint European Roadmap towards lifting containment. It's about coordinating, not replacing, the work that's being done by businesses and by national and local governments in Europe.

(...)  There are four vital areas that our guidance addresses, to enable tourism in a safe way this summer. Borders, travel, health and vouchers. (...) (collegamento Vestager)

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I would like to emphasise a few points:
    First, we cannot prescribe when country A or B decides to open up for tourism. Member States will progressively lift border restrictions. This will happen gradually, and not all at once. That reflects the different situation of course in each country, and we need to accept it.
    But, second, we are helping Member States and businesses to get prepared. Member States need to have sufficient capacity in terms of hospitals, testing, surveillance and contact tracing. The hospitality sector needs to know what health protocols they will need to comply with and what material they will need to welcome guests. This includes of course very practical things like cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched surfaces, providing masks, having spare rooms for potential contaminated guests, and so on.
    This will reassure tourists that they are safe and can choose their destination within the EU knowing that they will find the same level of precaution and preparedness. And that they will not be discriminated against, wherever they come from in the EU. That is very important.
    Financial risk is also an element that we need to mitigate to give consumers confidence. That is the logic behind our recommendation on vouchers as an alternative to cash reimbursement.
    And our citizens and businesses need information. That is why we are setting up a dedicated website with a map combining real-time information related to tourism. The website could be called reopening EU. This will also help our businesses draw inspiration from innovative solutions found by others.(...) we will organise a European tourism convention to start designing the European tourism of tomorrow and start preparing a roadmap a sustainable, innovative and resilient European tourism ecosystem. In other words, a ‘European Agenda for Tourism 2050'. (collegamento Breton)