People in Germany are keen to travel – even the Delta variant won’t change that for the time being. Booking is also made at short notice.
According to the German travel industry, concerns about the delta variant have so far not had any consequences for the booking behavior of customers.
The organizers are not observing large-scale cancellations due to concerns about corona infections on vacation, as several companies reported on request. Meanwhile, the easing of travel restrictions for Portugal, for example, is encouraging the travel company Tui. The world’s largest tourism group wants to take up new bookings for the Algarve again, he announced on Tuesday.
People’s desire to travel is unbroken, according to the German Travel Association (DRV) and organizers. “We are still seeing very high demand, especially for short-term trips during the summer holidays 2021,” said Ralph Schiller, head of the travel company FTI. Even in regions with a strong media focus, such as Mallorca, guests reacted calmly, “so we are currently not reporting any increased number of cancellations for the island”.
The provider DER Touristik is currently also noting “no increased cancellations”. The short-term bookings showed that many customers now want to make up for their summer vacation from 2020, said DER Touristik boss Ingo Burmester. “But we can also see from the inquiries in our service center that the discussion in the media is causing uncertainty among consumers.”
Andreas Rüttgers, Head of Tourism at the tour operator Schauinsland-Reisen, has so far not seen any negative effects of the Delta variant apart from the most recent cancellations in Portugal. “Since Portugal will no longer be classified as a virus variant area from July 7th, 2021, the tense situation could also change again here,” he said on Tuesday. All bookings are currently made at very short notice or for the coming winter.
The tourism group Tui meanwhile wants to bring more vacationers to Portugal with the relaxation of travel restrictions. Tui Germany boss Marek Andryszak announced that trips to the Algarve would be resumed for new bookings towards the end of the week. “Preparations for Madeira are also in full swing.”
Portugal is a popular travel destination for Germans and the reassessment will ensure a corresponding relaxation, Andryszak told the German Press Agency. «In general, vacationers wait for the latest developments and increasingly book at short notice. We now expect that for Portugal too. ” Hotels of their own brands can be booked by holidaymakers, and flights will be launched shortly.
With the spread of the delta variant in Portugal, the corona infections in the southern European country had risen sharply again. In Spain, too, the numbers went up. The federal government is now loosening the entry restrictions imposed due to the spread of particularly contagious corona variants, including for Portugal. This Wednesday, the country will be downgraded from virus variant to high incidence area.
It remains to be seen how much concern about the Delta variant will cloud the holiday season. The German Travel Association said it was too early to quantify the impact on customer booking behavior. The organizer Alltours made a similar statement.
Federal Foreign Minister Heiko Maas reassured holidaymakers in Spain on Monday. He does not currently consider the corona situation in the country to be of concern despite the rising number of infections, Maas said in Madrid. The delta variant of the corona virus is not yet as widespread in Spain as it is in Portugal or Germany. Tui welcomed the statements. They would create trust, said Andryszak.
Jane Stock is a technology author, who has written for 24 Hours World. She writes about the latest in technology news and trends, and is always on the lookout for new and innovative ways to improve his audience’s experience.
