Countries take steps to get tourists back

Southern Europe is trying to figure out how to entice tourists to come back even while coronavirus remains a threat.

In places where tourism accounts for much of the economy, officials are considering changes over how hotels, resorts and nightclubs could operate.

The reforms are designed to curb the spread of the disease and give travellers the confidence to go on holiday again.

On the Mediterranean island of Cyprus, one idea being considered is asking tourists to take a Covid-19 test prior to their arrival.

Other proposals include disinfecting luggage, putting reception desks behind screens and dressing cleaning staff in full protective gear.

Christos Angelides, president of the Cyprus Hotel Managers’ Association, said new rules being announced soon will mean that from the moment tourists step out of their bus or taxi from the airport, their luggage will be disinfected and taken straight to their rooms.

Reception procedures will be done electronically, with employees behind a plexiglass screen and cleaning staff in full protective gear.

Guests eyeing a vacation in Portugal, another major southern European holiday destination, will probably look beyond a hotel’s online reviews to see if it has the “Clean&Safe” seal now being awarded by local tourism officials.

The seal indicates that the establishment, be it a hotel, restaurant or other venue, has enacted recommended hygiene and safety procedures to protect against the virus.

The idea has been a big success in a desperate sector that accounts for 15% of Portugal’s gross domestic product and 9% of the country’s jobs.

The online classes needed to obtain the seal are being attended by around 4,000 people a week.

“It’s a question of making people feel safe to travel and having confidence in the place where they’re going,” said Luis Araujo, president of the government agency Turismo de Portugal.