Originally Posted by
stimpy
France announced today that French citizens may go on vacation in July and August...in France. This accomplishes two things. One, relief for the people who have been trapped at home. Two, relief for the French tourism industry. It kind of forces French people to holiday in France.
This works well as I believe that the French generally enjoy to travel within France, vs us Germans who want OUT of our country to somewhere else. I don't recall the actual figures but if I recall there is a wide gap between the two countries in terms of preference of domestic vs international travel. I believe that may also be tied to language somewhat, and also results in tourism to other Francophone countries during normal times.
Originally Posted by
chipmaster
Got to be of strange mind to take a tourist international trip currently. By tourist I mean not visiting family/friends but going to really be a tourist in a new place.
Though the actual risk for getting ill and at worst dying is low for many age groups as a whole the restrictions, the impact to the fun touristy stuff will make any trip questionable IMHO.
I'd want to go to Europe to see the historical sights Museums, Churches, historical monuments etc. etc. the interesting food etc. Nothing I hear now makes me believe they will be any state that would make me risk the money to fly there and be suprised
But I can go to many of the same museums in Berlin I visited two months ago today if I wish. Places like Hamburger Bahnhof and Boros Bunker were already easy to social distance considering the size vs entry. Boros already reopened and I cannot see that they would have to implement any changes from what they did previously, as it was the ideal situation of a huge space, and very limited timed entry with a guide. Edited to add I just 'recreated' a weekend in Berlin I spent a few weeks ago before things shut down, and pretty much every place is open again. And that is from someone who walks about 20km++ /day on a typical weekend there, visiting a large number of cultural venues as well as gastronomic and doing some of my regular shopping. The only thing which is not open is the gym/pool/sauna and which is for me admittedly an important part of my week. (But I'm not sure if the typical American tourist will miss sitting naked with a bunch of Germans
)
If I go back in time two months, the places I was visiting in various countries in Europe are open today just as they were then. The places in the Middle East are more limited right now, but I expect that in a few weeks they too may be open to visitors again.
From a health perspective, I consider it no less safe today than when I was travelling in late March - in fact, I believe that things are actually safer today considering the risk of spread is much lower now.