Museums, castles, movie theaters, outdoor leisure centers and other places welcoming visitors may finally see the end of the crisis. And for good reason, State Secretary for Tourism Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne has announced in an interview, released this morning in the JDD, that he wishes a “maximum of [touristic] places” can reopen by June 21st, “and perhaps even before if the health conditions allow it”.
Furthermore, the State Secretary gives a few details: “As soon as a health protocol is implemented, we want to reopen, when it is time, the maximum of activities. With precautions, sometimes constraints, but so is the goal” he explains. Yet, excluding castles and places “making the richness of the heritage” including in the question asked by our peers, no concrete answers as for touristic places expected to reopen or not, each responding to different organizations in terms of visitors. Anyway, Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne gives a new date as for the presentation of a planning: “Let’s meet by May 25th: as of that day, we will give details on the opening planning of some sites” he explains.
A very French summer for French tourism?
In this interview, the State Secretary also tells about 100% French holidays: “The summer 2020 will be a “blue, white, red” summer” he says enthusiastically while giving details to set up “sustainable tourism” taking for instance mountain professionals whose jobs are mainly seasonal: “With Elisabeth Borne, I work a lot with mountain elected members and professionals from French ski areas” he says and goes on: “resorts in foothills and medium mountains are facing the effects of climate change and less snow. We shall build with them a genuine four-season tourism that keeps them working from January 1st to December 31st”.
“Sustainable tourism” that will not leave seasonal workers behind. “We’re not forgetting them” he says, adding that the “reform of unemployment insurance has been postponed so that access to their rights is not made more difficult”. He goes on: “With the French Tourism Institute, we will launch by mid-June a digital platform enabling to put supply in contact with demand because we will have to be very reactive to relaunch the season”. He adds that he is working “on special solutions” for guide-lecturers.
Other touristic “place” spoken about in this interview, cruises, catching the attention of many holiday goers, but also the Secretary of State’s: “Today, cruises are still on hold. But I can say that cruise professionals have got the measure of the need of health reassuring and are working on it” Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne says. Yet, as for the reopening of liners and the possibility to go on a sea cruise, no dates are planned so far, even if the State Secretary explains that “the situation will surely get better for nautical and fluvial activities which are also major sectors in France”. Verdict on May 25th?
