BRUSSELS: Tourism within the European Union – measured in nights spent in tourist accommodation – plunged by half last yr under virus travel restrictions and lockdowns, the bloc’s statistics agency mentioned on Monday.
The unprecedented 52 percent drop compared to 2019 confirmed that “tourism was among the sectors most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic”, Eurostat mentioned in a statement.
Greece, Cyprus, and Malta, all Mediterranean nations favored for seaside vacations, were the worst hit, seeing a drop of 70 percent.
In northern Europe, the Netherlands and Denmark had a more moderate 35 percent fall.
Figures for France, the world’s most visited nation, weren’t accessible for inclusion within the Eurostat roundup, and nor have been those for Eire.
The statistics agency mentioned there have been 1.4 billion nights spent in tourist lodging in 2020, representing a cliff-like dive from figures that had been edging up over the past decade towards nearly three billion in 2019, earlier than the pandemic.
The absence of overseas guests was especially noticeable throughout the bloc, dropping by 68 percent, compared with nightly stays by domestic guests, which fell by 38 percent.
Whereas EU nations are experiencing second or third waves of the pandemic, several dependents on tourism hope that “vaccine passports” may open the way to a summer tourist season this yr.
EU leaders plan to meet in an individual next week for a summit that will look at that issue among others.
The European Commission has thrown its weight behind a digital “green go” that would record the vaccination status of the bearer, or if they’ve recovered from a COVID-19 infection, or negative test results.
Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen has mentioned she hopes it will ease travel within the EU.
But the bloc’s sluggish vaccination rollout, along with unreliable vaccine deliveries and freshly surging case numbers in lots of EU nations, make it unclear if such a pass could be used in time for Europe’s June-to-September summer season.
