The German Travel Association strongly criticizes the current practice of closing borders and placing crops or regions under lockdowns. DRV President Norbert Fiebig points out that the previous measures “have already caused considerable economic damage” and that people are “severely restricted” in their basic rights.
One also finds that travel is deliberately made complicated by politics in order to be able to limit one's personal range of motion. The result is that, according to the DRV, several million people have lost their jobs in tourism and aviation. In many cases the “state safety nets” would not have taken effect, or at least not sufficiently.
The DRV is now putting a strategy on the table that will make safe travel possible. The core of this is tests, which should be carried out directly at the border, for example at an airport, if possible. If the return does not come from high-incidence or virus variant areas, the negative test result should replace the currently practiced forced quarantine. The travel association also demands that the German federal government differentiate the situation on islands more precisely.
It is also of the opinion that saliva and gargle tests are easier to carry out in practice because, in contrast to the nasopharynx swab, they do not require a medical specialist. This could then be used in old people's and nursing homes and thus relieve capacities. The wearing of masks and compliance should be a matter of course and any violations by travelers should be fined by the authorities.
A digital vaccination certificate should serve as proof of immunizations that have already taken place. This is supposed to simplify and straighten out the processes. The DRV believes that vaccinations will be the only way to return to normal.
In the direction of politics, the travel association demands that they recognize the hygiene concepts of tourism and that the constant and repeated advising against travel of all kinds should end. The state Robert Koch Institute, which recently highlighted the industry's concepts positively, is cited.