CORONAVIRUS: FRENCH WILL BE ABLE TO GO ON VACATIONS EVERYWHERE IN FRANCE THIS SUMMER

AdarshaBarta desk :

Coronavirus : où pourra-ton partir en vacances cet été ?

Summer vacations have been a big question for French since confinement has started. Leaving or not leaving? On Thursday May 14, 2020 Edouard Philippe has guaranteed all French will be able to go on summer vacations in July and August everywhere in France and overseas. Full reimbursement measures are set in case bookings will be ultimately cancelled. This May 19, Jean-Baptiste Djebbari confirms it will be the case, including overseas if the epidemiologic situation allows it.

“French will be able to go on vacations in France in July/August, within the country or French Overseas Territories”. This Thursday May 14th, 2020 Prime Minister Edouard Philippe guaranteed French will be able to go on summer vacations without trip limit, as long as they do not leave the country. The rule of the trips within a 100-km distance will stop for summer.

This announcement should make many citizen and tourism professionals happy, as the latter have been badly hit by the health crisis. Edouard Philippe reminded it, our future is uncertain since we still do not know how the pandemic will evolve. Yet, French can already book their July or August vacations: the government guarantees bookings will be fully reimbursed in the hypothesis the Covid-19 epidemic would evolve and make any vacation impossible.

Edouard Philippe encourages French to organize their summer vacations and to meet with those they have been separated. The Prime Minister also wishes citizens to rebound with the “French lifestyle”, that is to say, going to restaurants, bars, cultural and heritage places.

Interviewed this Tuesday May 19 on BFMTV, Jean-Baptiste Djebbari confirms French will be able to travel everywhere across France incliding overseas territories if the epidemiologic situation allows it.

For the least comfortable homes, the government wishes to set up a social tourism scheme. “We will ensure that all those who have lived in the hardest conditions throughout confinement can enjoy an easier access to deals, trips, social tourism operations” Edouard Philippe said. The modalities to enjoy this scheme will be communicated in the upcoming weeks.

Campsites and collective accommodations… Plan already thought up

Very coveted by French, campsites are an issue from the perspective of lifting confinement, as they generally mix a lot of people. This is what, in late April, professionals of the sector met to present a “camping plan” proposing several measures to make sure safety instructions are upheld, such as limiting the number of children in playgrounds, social distancing to access lavatories and fewer services to decrease contamination risks. Facemasks are also part of the propositions given to the authorities.

“Camping plan” that revolves in three steps, as Fédération nationale de l’hôtellerie de plein air [outdoor hotel trade national federation] president Nicolas Dayot explained to our peers at BFMTV: “The first phase, starting from mid-May, would allow minimum and rather restrictive reopening. No entertainment, restaurant or access to the swimming pools and a limited number of campers” he explains. He adds: “The second phase, we wish for mid-June, that would play a go-between, would enable to open outdoor swimming pool, but still no entertainments. Last but not least, a third phase, all services will be provided, but great care given to health precautions”.

He also tells BFMTV that campsites must reopen soon to “convey a strong signal […]. These are big spaces, outside, providing individual and independent premises absolutely compatible with social distancing. As for bathrooms, we already have cleaning protocols we will reinforce” Nicolas Dayot explains.

What about hotels and rentals?

Moving on to hotels, they are thinking about exiting the crisis through a charter, currently in progress, to make sure clients are safe and healthy. A charter that already gives a few leads such as time off between each booking to make sure all rooms are spotlessly disinfected. “All surfaces, remotes and door handles are disinfected after the client has left” Union des métiers et des industries de l’hôtellerie [Hotel trade jobs and industrials union] hotel trade branch president Laurent Duc explains on BFMTV. He goes on: “And cleaning the day after in order that dirty laundry is not in contact with clean sheets and towels”.

Everything that is not useful in the bedroom, and that could carry the virus, such as pillows and other draperies will be removed. Lined pillowcases and bedsheets will be covered with a “washable” fabric. Hand sanitizer will also be available in every room. Room service will be favored with fully hermetic meal trays.

As for rentals, they are banned so far, but could copy hotels as for health measures, but it will be difficult to control protocols. Leads that will be studied by the government anyway, so that they can reopen this summer. And answers are expected in May or early June.

Trains, planes… The transport sector in a blur

Another difficulty adds up to the current crisis, naming if we are allowed to go on vacations in France, will we be able to take a train or plane? Moving on to the transport sector, it is still in a blur…

As for trains, SNCF new CEO Jean-Pierre Farandou said on RTL that he hoped “100% of the TGV trains [will work] by early summer” which seems auspicious for vacation goers who wanted to go by train. Yet, as for the air sector, that is another kettle of fish, as Protourisme office manager Didier Arino told our peers at CNEWS: “There will be very little airplanes this summer. Airlines plan 50% of their capacity in comparison with before, and this in five months’ time” he said.

Source Sortir a Paris