While the authorities keep an eye on the figures for the COVID-19 epidemic, the French remain uncertain about the evolution of the health situation and the constraints that it implies on their daily life. All scenarios are still possible.
The All Saints holidays are fast approaching. But with the coronavirus outbreak, overseas travel is in jeopardy. Is it better, like this summer, to favor a Franco-French fall 2020? State of play of the situation
When can we travel again?
It is difficult to choose your holiday destination for All Saints’ Day in the midst of the rebound of the coronavirus epidemic. The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), still identified, in its last report published on September 10, 93 destinations (43% of all destinations in the world) which are temporarily inaccessible including 27 completely closed for at least 30 weeks. We will therefore have to show a lot of patience before being able to resume the journey to countries outside the European Union.
Which countries are still accessible to the French?
While traveling far is not recommended due to the COVID-19 crisis, a few options remain open, provided sanitary conditions do not deteriorate by then.
For example, it is impossible to imagine a getaway to London since since August 15, the United Kingdom has imposed a fortnight on visitors from France, regardless of their nationality. “ All travelers coming from France must declare a place of self-containment in the United Kingdom, in which they will have to remain isolated for two weeks. This measure is mandatory and is liable to be subject to checks and fines “, specifies the website of the French Embassy in London.
In Germany, the system is different depending on the origin of French tourists. The inhabitants of the Île-de-France, PACA, Occitanie, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Corsica and Hauts-de-France regions, considered by the German authorities as risk areas, will be subject to “ a mandatory quarantine until obtaining the results of the PCR test which must be carried out within 72 hours of arrival on the territory “, indicates the site France Diplomatie .
Same thing in Belgium, where many French departments are identified as areas at very high risk of virus contamination.
The possibilities can hardly be counted more than on the fingers of both hands for the destinations popular with the French and which are mainly European ones: summary .
The tourism sector is preparing for 2021
The coronavirus crisis puts the tourism sector to a halt. Today, “group travel” customers remain dynamic, prepare projects, publish brochures to market destinations and conduct sales training to prepare their teams for the recovery. They may be at a standstill but are actively preparing for 2021.
The event world has also suffered the consequences of this crisis. This sector of activity has been accumulating cancellations since March and all major events have been postponed to the year 2021. Without a major event, bus rental for supporters, visitors or spectators no longer takes place. to be. It is also a sector that is very dependent on foreigners. As long as the resumption of air traffic has not resumed in a more or less normal state, the events will remain on stand-by.
Regarding business trips , we learned during Digital Partnership Days organized by Atout France that the trend was rather towards phygitalization for event organizers and tourism professionals of business.
90% of requests concern the organization of digital events, through meetings and virtual exhibitions. These new requests are made to compensate for the big business events that normally take place October through December each year.
The remaining 10% of requests are still for physical events. These events are popular with young companies, such as start-ups, or regional organizations, in order to maintain physical encounters, with a logic of proximity.
As for student travel, all “Tour Operators” customers specializing in weekends and integration weeks are at a standstill. With the increasing number of cases of COVID-19 in the hearts of universities, parties and student trips are now on hold.
Regarding school trips , customers prepare for the winter and spring seasons. Registration for organized trips is open.
What about the rental of buses ?
Bus and tourism
Coach operators point of view
Coach operators are worried because there is no vision for the future.
“ The previous years we had a big activity in September and October ” explains one of our members present in the Grand Est. This period rhymes with “ back to school, sports clubs which resume the season, school trips which are organized for the year “. Today, it is the occasional and tourism that is lacking, “ everything that was planned for spring 2021 is put on standby “. On the team side, it’s the same, “ normally the pace is dense and that gives the team a boost. Today, it’s long, little request for quotes for little confirmation “. As of this writing, there is no resume date, this is day-to-day blind sailing.
In the Paris region, one of our members is more optimistic about the current situation: “ Today, compared to a road passenger transport company, we are doing quite well . We’re not used to working that way, but we have work until December 25 “. This is possible thanks to regular lines, school and extracurricular transport, replacement vehicles for the SNCF and a little bit of occasional and tourism. Tourism, the activity that is having the most difficulty getting back on track, “ we have some odds and ends, but we are still very worried about the All Saints’ Day holidays “.
The All Saints holidays by the wayside?
The establishments receiving the colonists advance without knowing, because no announcement has been made as to whether the stays would be maintained or not, if the situation were to deteriorate even more.
For its part, our member from Ile de France is worried “ if schools do not already take many risks, leisure centers will do nothing at all, c ‘is certain ”. Within our member structure, over 15 days of school holidays, 15 orders are confirmed, 20 times less than usual. So alternatives are put in place. Our member offers his teams and driving staff to follow training courses. We must take advantage of this time, which we usually lack, to work on new projects. Internally, “ the spirit is good, there is still some concern “.
