Do you think the British will be more welcome in Spain/Italy/Portugal or the South west of England in July?

[ihatethecold]

Just pondering really, Our holiday abroad will be cancelled by the TA next week (Asia) and we've been thinking about whether we could have a week away in a villa in the welcoming, open places in Europe or Cornwall/ Devon?

Im not convinced that Devon and Cornwall actually wants anyone visiting?

I do understand why, I know they only have 1 main hospital.Im not here to criticise them for wanting to protect themselves. If the virus does become weaker and less virulent do the locals what tourism this summer?

Would we be more welcome in parts of Europe?

I live in Southern Portugal, everyone’s really keen for the tourists to come back! We all need the business. Also - we have had hardly any Covid cases here...

Thats good to know. I had to cancel a short break to Porto in April. I haven't been to Portugal in 19 years

Most of the Covid cases have been in Porto and Lisbon, in the Algarve there’s been very little. The country as a whole has been pretty organised about dealing with it and we didn’t have that strict of a lockdown (stricter than the UK, but not as strict as France or Greece).

We’ve been easing lockdown for nearly a month now, there’s a huge amount of testing apparently and we have to wear masks in shops and on public transport. There are lots of rules for shops and restaurants but people seem to be coping. People have been going to the beaches in small numbers, but they don’t open officially (with lifeguards and such) until later this month I think.

Definitely not Devon & Cornwall.

Are any food places opening up in the Algarve? Is it just takeaway or can people socially distance outside and eat a meal

Judging by the threads on MN from people living in SW tourist areas, you'll be more welcome abroad.

Thats what I thought Frodo.

I cant gauge it in any other way really.

The restaurants opened up on the 18th May, though many have been doing takeaway during lockdown. They have much reduced capacity, compulsory hand sanitiser and in / out routes (ie, one way traffic). The shops are the same. You have to wear a mask when going to the bar or the loo, but you can take it off at your table. Loads of restaurants have outside areas and I think some are just serving outside rather than faffing with all the indoor rules.

I’ve only been to a cafe since lockdown ended so I haven’t experienced whether it’s weird, but most people are pretty relaxed as long as everyone keeps their distance and is sensible. My friends in Lisbon say it’s stricter there, but then they’ve had a lot more cases.

I had to go to the health centre during lockdown (where you would go if you had an emergency as a tourist too) and I was worried it would be like the walking dead, but it was completely empty. People are staying away and there’s a strict phone triage system for suspected Covid cases. Anyone with serious symptoms is sent straight to designated hospitals rather than the local emergency rooms or GP. From what I’ve read they’re doing extensive track and trace on all suspected cases, as well as repeat testing.

I’d go to Europe

Many places I. Spain and Italy are paying people to holiday there

I'd go to Europe. I don't think I'll go back to the SW.

We have a holiday booked to the Algarve at the end of August so I'm really hoping we'll be able to get there. Doesn't seem like they had a bad case of covid-19 at all so so quite happy to self isolate ourselves in a villa and self cater if it comes to that but hoping we might get a few meals out.

Any except Devon and Cornwall.

I'm going to Turkey in September 🤞. They can't wait to welcome the tourists back.

I don’t believe tourists are being paid to go the European countries.
How does that even work?

I’ve never found Cornwall that friendly to be honest. Very expensive too for bog standard accommodation.

The thing is, I suppose we won’t know until people start moving around again whether we’ve got past the worst. I’d worry way more about getting on a plane and being in an airport than spending a week in a villa with family. I can’t see how flights are going to work if people on board have symptomless Covid. How would it not spread?

Anyway, the situation here at the moment is they’re easing lockdown in fortnightly increments, and so far it’s going well. But they are saying that if cases creep up again they’ll review and maybe increase restrictions again. So although they want tourists back, I think I would leave booking anything until the last minute.

Probably abroad before the south west

I do like Cornwall and think the beaches are just stunning. I have friends who have holiday lets on their property so we've always hung about in the less touristy places with them. Ive never found Cornwall expensive tbh.

@WinterAndRoughWeather Im not worried about the airport and a flight really, the planes will be cleaned well at first . wearing a mask is no big deal and I think the airport will be quieter in July.

I have a holi6booked for Portugal in July and one for Spain in August. Even though I would love to go, under the circumstances I don't feel the same. Do you think these are likely to go ahead? I would rather have the refund.

As far as I can tell, the question isn't if you want to go to Europe over England, it's whether you'll be allowed to go.

We're still hoping to get away to one of the European Center Parcs in August but until France allows holiday travel, we can't get there.

I live in the South West and am frankly appalled at some of the stuff I've seen on Facebook.
If I regularly holidayed in this area I would definitely be considering whether I was happy with my hard earned money going there. The attitudes of some people has been rude and aggressive and seems to have little understanding to what an extent we rely on tourism.

What’s been happening on your FB @TreacherousPissFlap ?

ihatethecold, we swing between really rude "you're not welcome" type posts, to calling all visitors "ignorant cunts" The vitriol is quite shocking and I feel a lot of people will be put off returning when this is all over.
What seems to escape people is that what most of these people is perfectly legal. Morally dubious perhaps but still, perfectly legal.

oh, Thats awkward. I do love Cornwall and have had lots of fun holidays there. I also really feel for people that make their living from tourism, I wonder if its people who don't rely on the tourist pound who write these comments?

I saw on twitter Earlier that Spain’s foreign minister has said they don’t want people from the UK.