Corona lockdown in Germany: is vacation possible again from December?

The partial lockdown in Germany is expected to be extended until December. Do the measures also apply to tourism again?

Extension of the lockdown: what does it mean for tourism?

Update from November 23, 2020: On Wednesday the federal and state governments will present the future corona measures. The rules are expected to be extended and in some cases tightened. According to media reports, a country template from Sunday includes another Gastronomy and leisure facilities will be closed until at least December 20th. However, it will probably be possible for the restaurants in federal states with a 7-day incidence of less than 35 new infections to be allowed to reopen early.

The country template does, however no courage when it comes to opening hotels and tourist accommodation offers at an early stage. Instead, the contacts should be further limited – to relatives from two households with a maximum of five people. At the same time, masks should be worn in closed rooms that are “accessible to the public or as part of visitors or customers”. The mask requirement also applies in public in the open air if people are in a confined space or not only temporarily in a location.

It can be assumed that the Ban on tourist accommodation – which is currently valid until November 30th – also until December 20th is extended. There is also no planning security for hotels and tourists for the period from December 21st. According to the online portal Reisetopia a long-term strategy topic in the deliberations in the districts of the countries. However, it is unlikely that an agreement will be reached before the Christmas holidays.

New government decision on corona measures: Tourism further restricted?

Update from November 17, 2020: Almost three weeks ago the Federal Chancellor and the heads of government of the federal states decided on the “lockdown light”. Since then tourist travel as good as impossible. Nevertheless, the number of new corona infections could not be significantly reduced. The aim is to bring the 7-day incidence back below a value of 50. That means: No more than 50 new infections per 100,000 inhabitants in the last seven days.

On Monday, the Chancellor and the heads of government exchanged another video conference and a new one decision regarding the corona measures. This adheres to the previously applicable restrictions: Tourist accommodation offers are still prohibited, Catering establishments remain closed for pick-up and delivery, apart from food private trips and visits to relatives are avoided.

Nevertheless, the government appeals to the population to limit private meetings to a permanent household as well as from now on to refrain from private celebrations and unnecessary private trips, day trips and leisure activities with public traffic. Unnecessary stays in closed rooms with public traffic and unnecessary journeys in public transport should also be avoided. All of these points are not a ban – they are one Appeal.

On November 25, the federal and state governments will officially develop and present the future corona rules. These could then apply into the new year. That probably means: There are no easing in sight for the time being – not even for the tourism sector.

“Holiday ban” in Germany: What does that mean for the planned holiday in November?

Update from October 29, 2020: The upcoming lockdown will ban tourist accommodation in Germany for a period of four weeks from November 2nd. This means: Hotels and hostels that offer accommodation to tourists are no longer allowed to accept them. Citizens are encouraged to refrain from private travel – whether nationally or in the immediate vicinity. What does this mean for vacations that have already been planned? Do customers get their money back?

Stiftung Warentest provides information on its portal test.dethat with a general prohibition of accommodation in Germany, the claim of the hotels, guesthouses and landlords of holiday apartments to payment does not apply. You cannot make the bookings, so no costs should be passed on to the travelers. In general, the law calls for “unavoidable, extraordinary circumstances” that must be objectively present and also exist at the time of the trip in order to justify a free cancellation. In the event of the upcoming lockdown, these criteria should be met – nevertheless, Stiftung Warentest recommends those affected to contact the Consumer advice centers in their respective federal state to turn. Each case – whether services from airlines or tour operators – should be treated individually.

According to the online portal, travel lawyer Paul Degott also points out Travel reports point out that vacationers have the right to get the money for the booked hotel room or holiday home back if they are not accepted due to the regulation. The same applies to Package tours. Vacationers are not obliged to accept a voucher from the organizer as compensation. However, if you want to cancel your vacation for the time after the lockdown – which is initially limited to four weeks – you may be left with part of the travel costs.

Now it’s official: In the course of the corona measures, the federal and state governments are banning tourist accommodation in Germany

Update from October 28th, 5:51 p.m.: In a press conference, Chancellor Angela Merkel has just announced the tightened corona measures * that were decided in today’s video conference between her and the prime ministers of the federal states. Accordingly, there will actually be the leaked restrictions in tourism: the federal and state governments will ban them from next week tourist accommodation offers in Germany. Citizens are encouraged to to refrain from private trips and visits to relatives, provided these are not absolutely necessary – this also applies to domestic and supra-regional day-trip excursions. Exceptions only apply for necessary purposes such as mandatory business trips. Unlike initially planned, the scheme is intended from November 2nd apply for four weeks. Catering establishments will also have to close for the rest of the month from November 2nd. All information for reading will be posted there shortly Bundesregierung.de give.

Read here: New quarantine rules from November 8th – What travelers will have to pay attention to soon.

Are there no more holidays in Germany from November?

Update from October 28, 2020, 10:24 a.m.: The draft of the federal government’s draft resolution for the video conference between Chancellor Angela Merkel and the Prime Minister of the federal states on Wednesday, which is available to the editorial network Germany, provides for drastic restrictions in everyday life. In particular the gastronomy and tourism are of the restrictions that from November 4th should apply, affected.

Accordingly, the federal government wants tourist accommodation offers * ban domestically for most of November. According to the draft resolution, overnight offers should only be allowed for necessary purposes. In general, citizens will be asked to Refrain from private trips and visits to relatives. The catering industry should also be hit hard: bars, clubs, pubs, restaurants and similar catering establishments will probably have to close again – except for the delivery and collection of food.

In addition, the federal government plans to use the November events throughout Germanyfor entertainment purposes. The bans affect theaters, operas, concert halls as well as cinemas, amusement parks, arcades and other leisure facilities such as the RND writes. The tightened measures therefore serve to “quickly interrupt the infection dynamics so that no far-reaching restrictions are necessary during the Christmas season”.

“Lockdown light” causes outrage in the tourism industry – “Peasant victims of the pandemic policy”

Original message from October 27, 2020: Many industries have been suffering from the corona pandemic and the measures that numerous countries have ordered since the beginning of the year – gastronomy and tourism are particularly affected. Border closings and travel warnings * brought travel to a standstill almost entirely in the spring. And the industry is still bothered by accommodation bans and quarantine regulations. Now, due to the increasing number of cases, the government should think again about a “lockdown light” – which could finally drive many companies and businesses that are already worried about their existence into ruin. The Federal Association of the German Tourism Industry is therefore already calling for a demonstration in Berlin.

This is what the “lockdown light” could look like in Germany

Numerous media are currently reporting citing the “image“Newspaper (content behind the payment barrier) from a” lockdown light “. According to this, Angela Merkel and the prime ministers are to discuss further restrictions on public life at a video conference on Wednesday, October 28, 2020. Closures of bars and restaurants as well as event bans are up for debate. However, schools and daycare centers should remain open as far as possible.

Government plans “lockdown league”: tourism industry is in a storm

The tourism industry also sees itself affected by the upcoming restrictions and immediately counteracts it: “If the leaked plans for a ‘Lockdown Light’ come true, that would be the case next disaster for the tourism industry“, Says Michael Rabe, General Secretary of the Federal Association of the German Tourism Industry, according to a press release. “If restaurants were shut down and events were banned, small and medium-sized companies in the tourism industry in particular would once again become the for nothing Peasant victims of the pandemic policy. No one has yet presented reliable figures that our operations are among the pandemic drivers, or at least they are not publicly available. And yet a large part of the corona measures – be it Accommodation bans or compulsory quarantine for travelers returning from risk areas, blocking times or the simple repeated advising against travel – Our industry and customers in sight. “

Interesting too: Before it even starts: Aida cancels the first trips after the cruise restart.

Rabe also says: “We call on politicians to refrain from these incomprehensible measures on the back of the tourism industry. However, should politicians adhere to such an industry-specific lockdown for reasons related to pandemic politics, the same applies industry-specific compensation payments and rescue measures for the affected companieswho make a special sacrifice in this respect are an absolute must. Otherwise, the majority of them will not survive the Corona winter. ”On Wednesday, companies from the event industry, tourism industry and gastronomy want to demonstrate in Berlin. (fk / sca) * Merkur.de is part of the nationwide Ippen-Digital editorial network.

also read: TUI is now offering trips to popular holiday islands again – despite the travel warning.