The German Government decided today that the worldwide travel warning for all countries except the member states of the European Union, the countries associated with Schengen and the UK will remain in place until 31 August. In contrast to our European neighbours, we do not yet have shared reliable data sources, criteria and coordination processes for the rest of the world which would make unrestricted travel possible again without incalculable risks. We can and will not risk Germans being stranded around the world again this summer or holidaymakers unsuspectingly bringing the virus back to Germany.

At the same time, we are very aware that many people would also like to travel outside Europe again as soon as possible. That applies to holiday destinations in Turkey and in North Africa, as well as South-East Asia and America. At what point such trips, also for tourist purposes, will be advisable again will depend on how the pandemic develops.

We will therefore review the travel warning on a regular basis before September and travellers’ safety will always be the central criterion. Where – and only where – the pandemic is developing positively, there is a stable healthcare system, appropriate safety measures for tourism are in place and both outward and return travel is assured, can we possibly revert at an earlier date from travel warnings to travel advisories.

However, it is clear that lifting the travel warning must fit into the overall picture. As long as there are pandemic-related bans on entries from third states to the European Union, it would be hard to justify thousands of European tourists travelling to those countries.