Corona at YŪGEN destinations | Update

Portugal mainland consists of an area of ​​more than 90,000 km2 and about 10 million inhabitants. Therefor it is not so difficult to find a place away from the crowds. Most people live in the bigger cities and by the coast. The coastline is over 800 km long.

The Azores lay more or less in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, between Europe and America. Due to their remote location and the corona restrictions, they have been completely isolated from the mainland. The number of infections has been limited to 146 people, 130 of whom have been cured and 16 unfortunately died. There are currently no active cases known. 

Portugal was the first country to develop a quality system and already launched a “Clean & Safe” seal system at the beginning of May so that you can distinguish the companies which meet the new hygiene and safety requirements. The measures are imposed by the Portuguese Institute of Public Health. Only companies in the tourism sector that are officially registered with the Autoridade Turistica Nacional can apply for the Clean and Safe quality mark. You can read more about this in our blog Portugal introduces Clean & safe quality stamp

What is remarkable, is that the WTTC (World Travel & Tourism Council) has now decided to follow this example. On May 29, they presented their seal, which also aims to allow travelers to recognize companies that have implemented the globally imposed protocols. This concerns hotels, restaurants, airlines and tour operators. The quality mark will look like this and can be obtained by companies worldwide if they comply with the new measures. It should come as no surprise that Portugal is the first country in the world to also receive this stamp:

Portuguese airports can measure body temperature and vending machines have been fitted with mouth masks and hand gel. Hotels, restaurants, bars, beaches, museums and shops have gradually re-opened, with new health rules of course. If everything goes according to plan, Portugal will open up its airspace gradually as of June 15th, with some exceptions for now such as Spain, Italy and the United Kingdom. The land border with Spain will also remain closed a little longer.

Spain was hit very hard by the virus, unlike Portugal which became the most praised country in Europe for its approach to Covid19. Various reasons have appeared in the international press in recent months for this notable difference between these neighboring countries. The most admirable fact is that the largest opposition party in Portugal immediately gave its full support to the current government in the fight against corona instead of seeing it as an opportunity to criticize and cause problems for the ruling party. A consensus immediately emerged, a will to join forces and save the country and its people together, as a main and common goal between political parties.

The Azores will reopen as well but currently require all travelers to undergo a COVID19 test on certain days before/while traveling. These and other rules can change every day now. Always consult the restrictions per country, including the rules in your country of departure. Do not forget to check with your airline as well. Belgians can consult the Belgian government website: https://diplomatie.belgium.be/nl/Diensten/Op_reis_in_het_buitenland/reisadviezen

More information about the exact measures, plans to reopen, dates on which that will take place and so on, can be consulted here:

Portugal:

https://www.visitportugal.com/en/node/421175 and https://www.visitportugal.com/en/node/421189

Azores:

https://covid19.azores.gov.pt/ and https://www.visitportugal.com/en/node/421175

It is not without reason that Portugal and the Azores are among the top safest European destinations. This was compiled on the basis of figures and facts. You can consult the list of Europe’s safest destinations here:

https://www.europeanbestdestinations.com/best-of-europe/coronavirus-safest-holiday-destinations/

Most European countries have the intention to reopen the borders as of June 15th, which brings Portugal and the Azores back within reach. As for Costa Rica, we will have to wait a little bit longer.  A few weeks ago the Costa Rican government announced that the borders would remain closed to travelers until June 30th, despite of  the low number of infections (not even 1300 persons at the moment) and only 10 deaths due to the corona virus. However, with more than 2 million visitors per year, the smart thing to do is to be careful before opening the borders again to people coming from areas with much higher numbers.

Costa Rica has less than 5 million inhabitants, living on more than 51,000 km2. Over 1 million people live in the capital. There are numerous volcanoes, reserves, national parks and even two different coasts. On one side you will find the beaches along the Caribbean Sea, on the other side the Pacific Ocean. Here, too, you can perfectly discover the green jungle and relax on one of the many beaches while staying in small-scale, eco-lodges.

Costa Rica has already been praised several times for the way it has been able to contain the corona epidemic, unlike other Latin-American countries.  The Costa Rican president previously explained live on BBC World their approach and vision for the future. The link to the broadcast with the full interview can be found in our blog Costa Rican president explains all on NNC about containing Covid19 and climate change

In May, several national parks have opened up to national travelers again. The lush nature enjoyed a well-deserved rest in recent months. Hotels, restaurants, museums, etc. are currently open at 50% of their capacity. If everything goes according to plan, shops and bars will also open on June 21st. Today we are hopeful that Costa Rica will reopen its borders in July to welcome travelers in the safest way possible.

For up-to date information, always keep an eye on the website with travel advice from your government. For Belgians, this is https://diplomatie.belgium.be/nl/Diensten/Op_reis_in_het_buitenland/reisadviezen

Also, always consult your airline to know if your flight has been modified or not, and if so, what your options are. This article describes the situation as it is today. These days, this information can change any day at any time. The main goal of this blog is to give you more insight into how responsibly and efficiently our destinations have handled the COVID19 crisis over the past months. They deserve to be put in the spotlight, not only by the Europe's Safest Destination List, but of course also by us.  

Share your smile, go yugenstyle,

Iris