Criticism from the travel industry regarding the new COVID-19 safety guidelines

Hamburg/Unterhaching, August 25, 2022 (w&p) – “Infection control measures for the fall and winter months must be limited to what is necessary and effective.” In a joint statement, leading tourism associations—including numerous member companies of the Tourism Diversity Action Alliance (ATV)—criticizethe draft of the new Infection Protection Act approved yesterday by the Federal Cabinet. Given the current situation, the heads of the travel associations consider the planned new regulations, which will comprehensively affect all areas of the tourism industry, to be inappropriate. 

 “In our view, it is important to strike a fair balance in the overall framework of measures, taking into account both the actual risk and the significant burden that pandemic-related restrictions place on the economy and society,” the industry associations agree. Given the significantly lower pandemic risk compared to the previous two years and the possibility of specifically protecting vulnerable groups, they advocate limiting infection control rules for the fall and winter months to what is necessary and effective. 

In contrast, the package of measures now being proposed once again includes travel and accommodation bans, restrictions on restaurants and recreational facilities, and the closure of cultural venues—essentially the same set of measures used over the past two years of the pandemic. “In the third year of the pandemic, such interventions must be sufficiently justified and weighed carefully, taking into account known facts and figures as well as the experiences of the past two years,” the tourism associations emphasize. 

Among other things, the coalition of associations notes the absence of clear guidelines regarding the infection rates that would trigger a national state of emergency—which would result in further lockdowns. 

There must also be clarity regarding the circumstances under which individual states are permitted to impose stricter rules. Before the bill is approved by the Bundestag or Bundesrat, the associations are therefore unanimously calling for appropriate amendments to the draft legislation. It must be clearly defined under what circumstances stricter rules may be reimposed.