LThe government loosens the rein for vaccinated foreigners, at least for the British. Thursday, January 13, the Minister Delegate in charge of Tourism and SMEs, Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne, announced that the conditions of entry into France were going to be lightened for vaccinated Britons. From Friday January 14, they will be authorized to enter the national territory without compelling reason.
The 48-hour isolation period is also no longer mandatory. “We will be able to travel again from the United Kingdom for leisure reasons and go skiing” in France, said Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne. Only condition: “We will only ask for a negative test of less than 24 hours at the start. “
“The constraint is stronger on unvaccinated people who keep compelling reasons and cannot come for leisure reasons. The vaccine makes the difference,” added Mr. Lemoyne. “All travellers, vaccinated or not, must initially present a negative test (PCR or antigenic test) of less than 24 hours”, specified, in the process, the office of the Prime Minister in a press release.
“The government is choosing to lighten the specific health control measures at the borders which were decided last December for vaccinated travelers from the United Kingdom,” explained Matignon.
Government spokesman Gabriel Attal announced on Wednesday that Paris would relax “in the very next few days” the restrictions applied at the borders with the United Kingdom in order to combat the spread of the Omicron variant.
“The British clientele is 15% of the clientele of French ski resorts”, added Mr. Lemoyne, while, for two years, the State has supported tourism players to the tune of 38 billion euros. victims of the economic consequences of the health crisis. “Before the crisis, there were 90 million international tourists a year in France, today it’s more like 45 million,” said Mr. Lemoyne.
” The season [de sports d’hiver, NDLR] is well under way, he said. Compared to 2019, we are at -8%, but we are starting to approach interesting levels. In the Pyrenees, there is + 10%, + 30%. “It is more complicated for certain large resorts in Savoie, which depend on this international clientele, in particular the British”, however recognized Mr. Lemoyne. “This morning’s decision will allow us to catch up, I hope. The first week of January, we are up 5% compared to 2019 thanks to the Belgians and the Dutch. “
