How 3 countries attract tourists
DUTCH HOLIDAYMAKER, GRAPHIC DESIGNER, AMY SMULDERS, SAYS:
“It’s Monday and I’m ready to go to Rhodes.”
What would it take to make you go on vacation and feel safe?
Dutch holidaymaker Amy Smulders travels to Greece as part of an experiment conducted by a tour operator and the Dutch government.
to see if a safe holiday can be arranged for the Greek tourism industry, which was hit hard last year.
“So we’re at the airport right now, we’ve done a PCR test to test for COVID, and I think the result is going to be good. I think we need to register now and then we will go to Greece! “
This is just one way countries hope to attract tourists this summer to fill their empty beaches and resorts.
1. GREECE
Smulders was one of some 200 Dutch tourists who took part in the experience.
The vacation takes place in a Greek resort town – where guests can access the hotel’s swimming pool, restaurants and other facilities.
The catch is, they can’t leave.
No long walks along the beach, no mingling with other guests within 5 feet, and at least five days of quarantine on return.
It may sound difficult, but demand was high – around 25,000 people signed up hoping to get a ticket.
2. CROATIA
The Croatian seaside resort of Porec, postcard, expects an influx of tourists from mid-May
as travel restrictions are gradually eased across Europe,
and they make sure they are well prepared.
HEAD OF PUBLIC RELATIONS AT PLAVA LAGUNA HOTEL GROUP, EVA DE ZAN PRUSINA, SAYS:
“We have invested a lot in the safety of our facilities: from the increased disinfection of the space to the introduction of plexiglass at the reception and on our tables, we have hired more staff at the buffet tables, which saves guests to take theirs. the food but that the food is served. “
On the Adriatic coast in Dubrovnik,
a multi-million euro government campaign aims to vaccinate around 80,000 tourism workers,
while providing customers with subsidized testing.
3. THAILAND
Phuket was once one of the loudest tourist destinations in Southeast Asia.
It now feels like a quiet seaside town.
Shops and bars have closed their closures and local residents and vendors are in desperate need of a return to business.
Uga, who is deaf, tries to sell coconuts on an empty shore.
COCONUT AND BEVERAGE SELLER, UGA, SAYS:
“People are unemployed, they have no money, the situation is very bad. All the shops are closed, people are suffering.”
Phuket aims to deliver photos to at least 460,000 people – most of its population – as it prepares for the July 1 opening,
when the quarantine for vaccinated foreign visitors ends.
Phuket also has its own international airport,
which means that tourists can roam the island freely without posing a risk to the rest of the Thai population.
Video transcript
AMY SMULDERS: So it’s Monday. And I am ready to go to Rhodes.
– What would it take to make you go on vacation and feel safe? Dutch holidaymaker Amy Smulders is traveling to Greece as part of an experiment, conducted by a tour operator and the Dutch government, to see if a safe holiday can be arranged for the Greek tourism industry, which has been hit hard by the last year.
AMY SMULDERS: So we’re at the airport right now. We did our PCR test to test for COVID. And I think the results are going to be good. I think we need to register now. And then we go to Greece.
– This is just one way countries hope to attract tourists this summer to fill their empty beaches and resorts. Smulders was one of some 200 Dutch tourists who took part in the experience. The vacation takes place in a Greek resort where guests can access the hotel’s swimming pool, restaurants and other facilities. The catch is, they can’t leave. No long walks on the beach. No mixing with other customers within five feet. And at least five days of quarantine on return. It may sound austere, but the demand is high. About 25,000 people signed up hoping to get a ticket.
[NO SPEECH]
– The Croatian seaside resort of Porec expects an influx of tourists from mid-May as travel restrictions are gradually eased across Europe. And they make sure they’re well prepared.
EVA FROM ZAN PRUSINA: [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]
– We have invested a lot in the safety of our facilities, from the increased disinfection of the space, to the introduction of plexiglass at the reception and on our tables. We’ve hired more staff at the buffet tables, which means customers don’t have to bring their own food. But the food is served.
[NO SPEECH]
– Phuket was one of the loudest tourist destinations in Southeast Asia. It now feels like a quiet seaside town. Shops and bars have closed their closures, and local residents and vendors are in desperate need of a return to business. Uga, who is deaf, tries to sell coconuts on an empty shore.
– People have become unemployed. They do not have money. The situation is very bad. All stores are closed. People are suffering.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
– Phuket aims to deliver vaccines to at least 460,000 people, most of its population, as it prepares for the first opening in July, when the quarantine for vaccinated foreign visitors ends. Phuket also has its own international airport, which means tourists can roam the island freely, without posing a risk to the rest of the Thai population.