Has anyone booked any continental holidays yet?
Discussion
21st Century Man said:
It's just stuff in the media, he said, she said, then debate on a forum. But if you want to take the fish, take it, I concede.
Sure but you’re making statements of fact that aren’t correct. Which isn’t helpful on a thread where people are talking about booking holidays. Lots of people here quoting comments from various tourism ministers - let's face it - it's their job to be positive and talk up the chances of travel. Also - plenty saying that the Spanish are 'desperate' for the Brits to return. Not all of them - talked to Spanish friend in Malaga (works in agriculture not tourism) - there are plenty in Spain fearful of the so called 'UK variant' - so just because a tourism minister says something doesn't make it a done deal. They don't make policy. Still too early to start counting chickens...
David Beer said:
lastexile69 said:
Long weekend in Spain for end of September looking OK but the 14 days in Dubai +Abu Dhabi I had pencilled in for last week May and first week June not so sure....thankfully nothing paid for as yet.
Prices are very high for UAE when you search now though......no surprise I guess.
Never mind trying to recoup losses due to the 'rona, I like to blame bl***y vacuous, puerile waste of skin influencers (hate that term) who flooded Dubai when they were [cough cough] "working" throughout lockdowns for driving up demand and prices for us "ordinary" folk........
Tw*ts.
I went to Dubai on Xmas day for 10 nights , all legal etc, but get where you are coming from . Prices were just normal ‘expensive’. Prices are very high for UAE when you search now though......no surprise I guess.
Never mind trying to recoup losses due to the 'rona, I like to blame bl***y vacuous, puerile waste of skin influencers (hate that term) who flooded Dubai when they were [cough cough] "working" throughout lockdowns for driving up demand and prices for us "ordinary" folk........
Tw*ts.
Wiltshire Lad said:
Lots of people here quoting comments from various tourism ministers - let's face it - it's their job to be positive and talk up the chances of travel. Also - plenty saying that the Spanish are 'desperate' for the Brits to return. Not all of them - talked to Spanish friend in Malaga (works in agriculture not tourism) - there are plenty in Spain fearful of the so called 'UK variant' - so just because a tourism minister says something doesn't make it a done deal. They don't make policy. Still too early to start counting chickens...
Absolutely this. The messaging from some of these countries is borderline reckless as it will encourage the, lets' call them 'optimistic travellers', that it'll all be alright by May. The reality might be very different but these countries are so desperate for the tourism.omniflow said:
The irony is strong in this one. Person wanting to go to Dubai criticising the type of people who go to Dubai.
Your point is not lost on me. I was trying to point out that I'm an ordinary person who wants a beach holiday rather than a Z-list youtube or reality personality husk who ran away there to "work" during lockdown and took the p*ss in regard to lockdown sacrifices that every other person made / is making.Wiltshire Lad said:
Lots of people here quoting comments from various tourism ministers - let's face it - it's their job to be positive and talk up the chances of travel. Also - plenty saying that the Spanish are 'desperate' for the Brits to return. Not all of them - talked to Spanish friend in Malaga (works in agriculture not tourism) - there are plenty in Spain fearful of the so called 'UK variant' - so just because a tourism minister says something doesn't make it a done deal. They don't make policy. Still too early to start counting chickens...
Counter that with how much Spain relies on tourism and how many tourist related businesses there are. The contribution of tourism reached 154,487 million euros in 2019, representing 12.4% of GDPCan the Spanish gov afford to let all those businesses potentially go under?
I think they will be very very keen to facilitate tourism - as they were last summer. Only now we have vaccines and a much better understanding of the illness, how to test for it, and how to treat it.
ro250 said:
Wiltshire Lad said:
Lots of people here quoting comments from various tourism ministers - let's face it - it's their job to be positive and talk up the chances of travel. Also - plenty saying that the Spanish are 'desperate' for the Brits to return. Not all of them - talked to Spanish friend in Malaga (works in agriculture not tourism) - there are plenty in Spain fearful of the so called 'UK variant' - so just because a tourism minister says something doesn't make it a done deal. They don't make policy. Still too early to start counting chickens...
Absolutely this. The messaging from some of these countries is borderline reckless as it will encourage the, lets' call them 'optimistic travellers', that it'll all be alright by May. The reality might be very different but these countries are so desperate for the tourism.And if they are accepting people only who have been fully vaccinated and / or a negative test before travel and by then our infection rate has continued to drop at the rate it has been then how much risk is there?
If we / they cant facilitate tourism under those circumstances then they may as well write off the industry because CV19 and its variations is here to stay.
Deep Thought said:
Counter that with how much Spain relies on tourism and how many tourist related businesses there are. The contribution of tourism reached 154,487 million euros in 2019, representing 12.4% of GDP
Can the Spanish gov afford to let all those businesses potentially go under?
I think they will be very very keen to facilitate tourism - as they were last summer. Only now we have vaccines and a much better understanding of the illness, how to test for it, and how to treat it.
Fair point - there are just so many variables. Are the 85% of Spaniards who don't work in tourism happy with proposals? (governments always wary of public opinion) Will it be vaccine passports? Will they require both jabs? Does 'qualification' for said passport begin 3 weeks after the 2nd jab? Current government paranoia with variants (witness nationwide manhunt for Brazilian bloke) does not point to post holiday isolation requirement being removed. And of course there's the ability of southern Europeans to organize anything quickly and efficiently (not been harsh here - lived and worked in Italy - love them but very frustrating to work with..) Can the Spanish gov afford to let all those businesses potentially go under?
I think they will be very very keen to facilitate tourism - as they were last summer. Only now we have vaccines and a much better understanding of the illness, how to test for it, and how to treat it.
That said - it could happen - I would just be sure that you have a get out option if it doesn't.
Wiltshire Lad said:
Deep Thought said:
Counter that with how much Spain relies on tourism and how many tourist related businesses there are. The contribution of tourism reached 154,487 million euros in 2019, representing 12.4% of GDP
Can the Spanish gov afford to let all those businesses potentially go under?
I think they will be very very keen to facilitate tourism - as they were last summer. Only now we have vaccines and a much better understanding of the illness, how to test for it, and how to treat it.
Fair point - there are just so many variables. Are the 85% of Spaniards who don't work in tourism happy with proposals? (governments always wary of public opinion) Will it be vaccine passports? Will they require both jabs? Does 'qualification' for said passport begin 3 weeks after the 2nd jab? Current government paranoia with variants (witness nationwide manhunt for Brazilian bloke) does not point to post holiday isolation requirement being removed. And of course there's the ability of southern Europeans to organize anything quickly and efficiently (not been harsh here - lived and worked in Italy - love them but very frustrating to work with..) Can the Spanish gov afford to let all those businesses potentially go under?
I think they will be very very keen to facilitate tourism - as they were last summer. Only now we have vaccines and a much better understanding of the illness, how to test for it, and how to treat it.
That said - it could happen - I would just be sure that you have a get out option if it doesn't.
They did it last year though, and as i said we are in a better position this year RE: vaccine, testing, etc.
Deep Thought said:
Thats the fine line to be trod though isnt it? Getting buy in from the Spanish population, allowing tourism to restart to assist that sector, assuring people overall that its "safe".
They did it last year though, and as i said we are in a better position this year RE: vaccine, testing, etc.
Exactly.They did it last year though, and as i said we are in a better position this year RE: vaccine, testing, etc.
Look at where we were this time last year and compare to now.
The death tolls hadn’t even hit yet a year ago and there was still foreign travel during the school summer holidays. Now we’ve got vaccines and the numbers are all right down. We’re in an infinitely better position this year.
El stovey said:
Deep Thought said:
Thats the fine line to be trod though isnt it? Getting buy in from the Spanish population, allowing tourism to restart to assist that sector, assuring people overall that its "safe".
They did it last year though, and as i said we are in a better position this year RE: vaccine, testing, etc.
Exactly.They did it last year though, and as i said we are in a better position this year RE: vaccine, testing, etc.
Look at where we were this time last year and compare to now.
The death tolls hadn’t even hit yet a year ago and there was still foreign travel during the school summer holidays. Now we’ve got vaccines and the numbers are all right down. We’re in an infinitely better position this year.
David Beer said:
Dr.Seuss said:
Very nice. The one with the Wavebreaker bar down by the beach? There’s a few Hilton’s along there now.
Yep that’s the one. Apart from one lunch at the new outdoor restaurant Sal at burj al Arab had the same table for lazy 3 hour lunches, fab service. omniflow said:
Just booked a week in Crete from 5th July.
Flights were £60 per person per leg with Easyjet. Apartment can be cancelled with no charge up until the week before.
Airport car parking and car hire can wait a few weeks.
I think the chances of it all going wrong are quite small, and it's a risk I'm prepared to take.
Great flights priceFlights were £60 per person per leg with Easyjet. Apartment can be cancelled with no charge up until the week before.
Airport car parking and car hire can wait a few weeks.
I think the chances of it all going wrong are quite small, and it's a risk I'm prepared to take.
Register1 said:
We will both have had our 2nd jabs by 14th June.
Whats the thinking that Turkey, Marmaris will be a good chance flying out middle of July?
Risky or go for the bookings ?
R1
I think the European destinations that will open up with the least restrictions will likely be Greece and Turkey and possibly parts of Spain like the canaries as happened last year.Whats the thinking that Turkey, Marmaris will be a good chance flying out middle of July?
Risky or go for the bookings ?
R1
Not much risk though if you book something with a decent cancellation policy?
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