International travel across Europe to reopen around 15 June
The hallowed date looks to be a major day for the revival of international travel between European countries
As of Friday 15 May, travel between Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania reopened, with an initial quarantining period in place for travellers from other states. In Italy, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte has decreed that foreign tourism to the country will resume from 3 June. And while for Poland, international flights are due to begin operating again on 23 May, with quarantining measures in place for passengers, the country’s borders are likely to be open to international tourists from 13 June.
Belgium is aiming to reopen for international tourists from the 15 June; residents of Switzerland have now been told that they will be allowed to holiday abroad in Germany, Austria and France once the borders re-open on 15 June; and the Czech Republic’s borders are due to open with Austria and Germany on the same date. In addition to Switzerland and the Czech Republic, Austria is also due to open up its borders with Germany, Liechtenstein, Slovakia and Hungary on the 15 June. However, a health certificate stating that the traveller does not have Covid-19 is required on entry to the country – those without a certificate must self-isolate for 14 days.
Elsewhere, Greece plans to reopen to international tourists on 1 July at the earliest and has even added that direct flights with the UK are due to resume from 1 June.
ITIJ notes that while this is good news for the global tourism industry, the plans for the reopening of international travel are still dependent on the continued decline in Covid-19 cases in the respective countries.