Due to the gradual easing of restrictions within the European Union, the fast vaccination rate, and the reopening of borders for more third countries and fully vaccinated travellers from abroad, it is expected that European tourism will rebound for the summer months.
“In view of the rapidly advancing vaccination programmes, which reduce pressure on national health systems and protect our most vulnerable, Europe is now managing the COVID risks well both for locals and our long-awaited travellers. We, therefore, believe that safe travel is possible this summer,” President of ETC Luís Araújo said.
According to the most recent quarterly “European Tourism Trends & Prospects” report published by the European Travel Commission (ETC), travel demand is anticipated to increase in the second half of 2021, whereas the international arrivals will continue to remain 49 per cent below the pre-pandemic level registered in 2019, SchengenVisaInfo.com reports.
The same report noted that the summer season is crucial for the travel and tourism sector as travel demand within Europe remained relatively low in the first quarter of 2021. Only during the first three months of this year, international tourist arrivals fell 83 per cent compared to the same period in 2020.
“The reopening is also fuelled by the strong desire of people to travel again and secured by the readiness of our sector to provide safe and responsible travel experiences. As Europe is opening up, it is imperative that clear and coherent messages are communicated to prospective travellers,” Araújo added.
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