CapaJet recently accomplished the impressive landmark repatriating over 5000 people within 60 days.  CapaJet managed to achieve this number with its determination to operate and run as many repatriation flights as possible while negotiating and coordinating with different counties and their government.

Having achieved this milestone, the company is now working towards its next target of repatriating 10,000 people. More repatriation missions are in the pipeline to bring back stranded citizens from various countries to key cities in India. All these flights are operated in accordance with the directive released by Ministry of External Affairs and the Department of Civil Aviation India.

“In the current times of pandemic, repatriating over 5000 people is an impressive milestone but we are not stopping until we arrange for each & every stranded citizen in any part of the world to reach home. For this, we are constantly engaging & collaborating with various governments and planning new flights. All our India missions have been very successful so far. We look forward to working with additional authorities and countries to expand our offerings in this space and add additional routes,” Komal Seth , India Representative, CapaJet.

While operating the repatriation flights, CapaJet adheres to the latest international aviation guidelines issued to prevent the spread of Covid 19 disease.

Sabre has announced the extension of its global distribution agreement with United Airlines, reinforcing both companies’ commitment to providing travel agents access to United Airlines content globally through the Sabre travel marketplace.  

“As the industry moves into recovery, distributing air content to high value travelers through Sabre’s global travel marketplace will play a key role in the airline sector’s success,” said Roshan Mendis, Chief Commercial Officer, Sabre Travel Solutions. “Sabre remains focused on delivering the retailing, distribution and fulfillment solutions that support the growth and profitability of our customers. United has a been a technology leader and we are excited to continue our long-standing relationship with them as we work together to deliver innovative products to our subscribers.”

This renewed agreement also supports the companies’ existing collaboration on NDC. The two companies continue to collaborate on bringing to market additional NDC-enabled capabilities. Sabre’s NDC-enabled solution is fundamental to providing travelers’ access to the best personalized offers.  

“United is pleased to provide its customers with its content through Sabre connected travel agents. We also look forward to continuing our work with Sabre on NDC to bring the full benefit of our rich, personalized, NDC content to all travelers who book through this channel,” said Glenn Hollister, VP Sales Strategy and Effectiveness from United. “United was the first airline in the world to launch NDC with Sabre, and in working together, we will eventually enable access through Sabre to the full range of products and services that are currently available on United.com and our NDC API.”

Crystal has introduced Confidence 2.0 that allows travelers 90 days from the time of booking to place their deposit on all new 2020-2023 reservations across all brand experiences – Crystal Cruises, Crystal River Cruises, Crystal Yacht Cruises and Crystal Expedition Cruises. In addition, the company is relaxing final payment deadlines for all its current savings programs.

Crystal developed the new policy updates in response to the current environment as the global Covid-19 pandemic continues to impact when and where cruising can resume. Differing requirements from countries worldwide and no established guidelines for resumption of service continue to delay cruise lines’ ability to operate, creating uncertainty for cruise lines and travelers alike.

“We understand that many travelers are eager to begin planning vacations and exploring the world again but may be hesitant to make commitments of travel time and resources during this challenging period,” said Carmen Roig, Crystal’s senior vice president of marketing and sales. “The expanded window for deposits and relaxed final payment schedules offer them an opportunity to look forward to future journeys and book their dream vacations with ease.”

The 90-day extended commitment window for deposits complements the already generous peace of mind booking policies available. Details of policies include:

Feature of Crystal Confidence: Relaxed Final Payment and Cancellation Policy for All 2020 Voyages – Final payment is now due 30 days prior to first date of service; guests will now receive a full refund (less admin fees) for cancellation of 2020 voyages up to 30 days prior to first date of service. Guests can also cancel up to seven days prior to first date of service and receive a 100 percent Future Cruise Credit for monies paid, redeemable through the end of 2023.

Now extended through April 2021, Crystal Confidence 2.0 offers both relaxed cancellation terms and a final payment of 60 days prior to departure (previously 120 days prior) for all new bookings.

Extended Early Full Payment Savings Program – Early payment has now been extended to 180 days prior to first date of service (the previous payment window was 270 days) to receive an additional 2.5 percent in savings for all experiences including Ocean, River, Yacht and Expedition.

Advance Purchase Savings (Crystal River Cruises) – For a limited time, guests booking one of more than 60 sailings from March through December 2021 will now have 90 days from the time of booking to place their non-refundable full payment of $3,699 per person – a savings of up to 50 percent – for the best available suite at the time of booking. As per the original program parameters, guests have the flexibility to change their first date of service to another applicable sailing with no penalty before December 31, 2020.

Crystal’s Easy Book Program – For all 2021-2023 bookings, guests can book with a reduced deposit of 15 percent, regardless of voyage length, and receive waived administrative fees. The new 90-day deferred deposit applies.

Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI) has voiced its dejection on Air India’s social media post as well as communications to travellers to book on their website and verify airfares with the airlines before booking with the agents. The airline has also stated that agents block the inventory on the GDS.

Writing to Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri and CMD of Air India Rajiv Bansal, TAAI informed the National Carrier to withdraw the same.

Excerpts from the communication dated 30th July produced below:

“We refer to the circular issued by Air India to travel agents as well as to media, including posts on social media, informing travellers to not pay more than the fare mentioned on the website of Air India, if booked through the travel agents.

We strongly condemn this and request you to withdraw the same.

It shall be appreciated that travel agents members guide and update the passengers on all formalities, assist in documentation, filing complicated declarations, assist in updating on registration on AI website and also provide allied services to travellers, update of validity of visas and visa categories permitted etc.

Sirs, our member agents provide services to the traveller/customers, who feels secure by dealing with us. During these pandemic and testing times, our trade is the most impacted, with all airlines, including Air India not refunding the amounts of tickets for services not rendered. For over 4 months the refunds are pending and the travellers are chasing our member agents to refund their monies. After our multiple requests to your goodselves, the same has begun but still the process is terribly slow. We have never blamed or criticised the airline or their practices. We also understand that the airline too is facing a cash crunch but with no clarity from the Government and the National Flag bearer, this had become out of control.

We have been in constant touch with MoCA/Air India Management on a regular basis and such communications are demeaning to our member agents in the trade who you call “Travel Partners”.

We demand and appeal a clarity be issued instantly in this regard, which should inform of malpractices and manipulations, but should ensure that the agent and customer have direct relationship in their conditions of additional services and charges being levied thereon for providing the same.”

Further on 5th August’20, Air India once again communicated adversely against booking through travel agents. We reproduce contents of communication dated 6th August once again to MoCA and Air India below:

“We refer to our letter dated 30th July’20 addressed to your goodselves.

It is surprising that no acknowledgement or action has been taken by Air India or MoCA to our appeal.

Further, Air India keeps demeaning its accredited agents on social media and through other channels of circulation to the general public and travellers. We understand the message very clearly that agents are not wanted.

At this juncture, where economies are trying to revive and come back on their feet, Air India continues to play monopolistic. After our repeated request to your good-selves, agents were permitted to book on the GDS, but now inventories have been blocked and selective sectors are only being permitted. This is totally unfair and biased.

It is well understood and a fact, that agents not only provide service of booking the air ticket but also update to the travellers/customers on the procedures, documentation, visa formalities and guide the passenger. Air India call centres and ticketing offices are unable to cope with the load of the booking and are not updated on the other procedures and are unable to guide the passengers.

During these times of crisis rather than supporting the agent, whom Air India refers to as “Travel Partner”, who ease the burden of the airline in managing its sales and distribution, the airline management is outright set to demean, malign and insult the accredited member travel agent, who have always supported the National Carrier through thick and think over decades. This is totally uncalled for. We are pained to say that “Air India Plays Dirty”.

When Air India’s systems are faulty and seats show unavailable within a minute of opening up, the travel agents are blamed !! Shocking ! Best route to escape is to transfer the blame on the travel agent. After a while or on the next day seats again re-appear only for sale on the web.

Yes, the travel agents block the seat on client instructions and are given a ticketing time limit to issue the ticket. Once the passengers/customer confirms the same, the tickets are issued. How can there be manipulation here? as names are not changed, dates are not changed. But the blame is on the Travel Agent.

We are exasperated and dejected on this attitude from the National Carrier – Air India who has created this mistrust and wrong perception amongst the travellers/customers.

This situation and crisis are well known to all and we need not elaborate more.

All we would once again urge you is to ensure a fair playing field to member travel agents, who run establishments-thereby supporting employment, promote your airline – enabling your sales, place financial securities with IATA to obtain ticketing authorities with your airline – protection against default, pay taxes on their earnings-supporting the economy and trade of the country.

We once again request you to ensure that accredited member travel agents are giving the due respect and permitted to promote and sell airline seats using the GDS on all sectors that are being operated by Air India, under the Vande Bharat Mission, to and from India.”

RevPAR was down 59.3 per cent in first-half 2020. This marked decline reflects the dramatic deterioration in the industry linked to the spread of the Covid-19 virus worldwide, as well as lockdown measures and border closures implemented by governments throughout the world.

Sébastien Bazin, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Accor, said: “The shock that our industry is experiencing is both violent and unprecedented. Against this backdrop, we have managed to limit the impact of the crisis: on our performance by taking immediate steps to protect our resources and, thanks to the Group recent years transformation and our sound financial structure; on our employees by implementing concrete and immediate support measures. The peak of the crisis is undoubtedly behind us, but the recovery will be gradual. Having taken these emergency steps, we must now finish the job from an asset-light model to a full asset-light company. Beyond Covid-19, this is essential. Accor must become simpler, leaner, more agile and even closer to the field. These initiatives will enable us to extend our leadership, make our decision process more efficient and boost our recovery. They will be implemented with transparency and candor and, in a spirit true to our values of solidarity and commitment.”

Nevertheless, we are observing signs of recovery in all regions, after a particularly hard-hit period in April and May, first in Asia-Pacific (RevPAR down 77.4% in Q2) before gradually spreading to other regions, particularly Europe (RevPAR down 90.6% in Q2).

During the first half, Accor opened 86 hotels, i.e. 12,000 rooms, illustrating the appeal of the Group to hotel owners. At end-June 2020, the Group had a portfolio of 747,805 rooms (5,099 hotels) and a pipeline of 206,000 rooms (1,197 hotels), of which 75% in emerging markets.

As of August 3, 2020, 81% of Group hotels were open, i.e., more than 4,000 units.

Consolidated revenue for the first half of 2020 totaled €917 million, down 48.8% like-for-like and down 52.4% as reported compared with the first half of 2019.

Reported revenue for the period reflects the following factors:

• Changes in the scope of consolidation (acquisitions and disposals) had a negative impact of €57 million largely due to the disposal of Mövenpick leased hotels.

• Currency effects had a negative impact of -€13 million, mainly due to the Australian dollar (-4.6%) and the Brazilian real (-19.1%).

HotelServices revenue

HotelServices, which includes fees from Management & Franchise (M&F) and Services to Owners, reported revenue of €650 million, down 52.8% like-for-like reflecting the decline in RevPAR as a result of the health crisis and government lockdown measures implemented worldwide.

Management & Franchise (M&F) revenue amounted to €139 million, down 72% like-for-like, reflecting the collapse in incentive fees based on hotel operating margin generated from management contracts.

Consolidated RevPAR was down 59.3% overall for the first half, and down 88.2% for the second quarter.

M&F revenue was down by a sharp 74.9% like-for-like in Europe, reflecting a 62.1% decline in RevPAR combining all segments.

• In France, RevPAR was down 60.4% like-for-like over the first half. Most Accor hotels remained closed during June. Paris and the Paris region (RevPAR down 62.2%) were harder hit than the rest of France (RevPAR down 58.9%). This trend was even more pronounced during July;

• In the United Kingdom, RevPAR fell by 64.5%. RevPAR in London was down 64.8%, slightly harder hit than the rest of the country (-63.5%). The end of the lockdown began later than in other European countries and 99% of Group hotels in the UK were closed at end-June;

• In Germany, RevPAR was down 58.3% as lockdown measures in the country were implemented earlier than in other European countries;

• In Spain, RevPAR fell by 68.7% in the first half of the year.

M&F revenue in Asia-Pacific was down 70.8% like-for-like as a result of a 54.7% decline in RevPAR.

• In China, there was a noteworthy recovery in RevPAR, declining 51.9% in June and down 65.2% over the first six months of the year.

• In Australia, RevPAR fell by 49.3% in the first half of the year. The decline was less significant than in other countries owing to the more limited Covid-19 impact over the first quarter (-18.2%). Government-imposed quarantine measures were the main source of business for hotels.

The Africa & Middle East reported Management & Franchise revenue down 72.5% with RevPAR declining 55.6% due to the closure of borders. The lack of crowds during religious pilgrimages to the holy cities in Saudi Arabia will continue to weigh on RevPAR over the coming months.

North America, Central America & the Caribbean reported a 66.0% decrease in M&F revenue, in line with the drop in RevPAR of 64.3% over the first half. The collapse in fee income based on hotel operating margin (i.e. “incentive fees”) was offset by the relative resilience of other income generated by Management and Franchise contracts.

Lastly, the spread of the pandemic to South America had a sharply negative impact on regional RevPAR, down 52.4% in H1, with Management & Franchise revenue down 62.1%.

Services to Owners revenue, which includes the Sales, Marketing, Distribution and Loyalty division, as well as shared services and the reimbursement of hotel staff costs, came to €511 million, versus €879 million at end-June 2019.

Hotel Assets & Other revenue

Hotel Assets & Other revenue was down by 40.2% like-for-like to €237 million. This segment saw a more moderate decline in business thanks to a more limited Covid-19 impact in Australia in the first quarter, and the delayed spread of the pandemic to Brazil. The 54.4% decline in revenue as reported was exacerbated by the disposal of the Mövenpick leased hotel portfolio in early March 2020.

The division’s hotel base included 168 hotels and 30 071 rooms at June 30, 2020.

Indian Hotels Company (IHCL) reported net loss of Rs 280 crore in the first quarter ended June 30 compared to a net profit of Rs 74 core in Q4 FY20 and profit of Rs 6 crore in the year ago quarter. The company’s reported revenue was Rs 175 crore down from Rs 1101 crore in the previous quarter and Rs 1057 crore in the year ago quarter.

 “The global travel and tourism industry was at a virtual standstill in the last three months, which had a big impact on the hospitality sector. While over 50% of IHCL hotels were closed for most part of Q1 due to government lockdowns, we implemented R.E.S.E.T 2020, a strategy to mitigate  the impact of COVID-19; and several revenue enhancement and spend optimization measures initiated have started yielding results. We remain confident, given the strength and power of our brand and our market leadership, that we will weather this disruption and emerge stronger,” Puneet Chhatwal, MD and Chief Executive Officer, IHCL, said.

R.E.S.E.T 2020, a comprehensive five-point strategy, provides a transformative framework to help the Company overcome the COVID-19 related challenges and achieve revenue growth while optimizing expenditure and strengthening balance sheet and at the same time, continuing on its path of excellence.

• Revenue Growth – Implemented a host of new revenue generation initiatives such as [email protected], Qmin and rolled out various campaign offers like 4D – Dream, Drive, Discover and Delight, Urban Getaways and Bizcation to stimulate and capture domestic demand

• Excellence – Enhanced SOP’s under Tajness – A Commitment Restrengthened and I-ZEST: IHCL’s Zero-Touch Service Transformation, which ensures heightened safety for guests and employees through a host of digital and service interventions

•  Spend Optimization – Leveraged opportunities across all cost heads to rationalize resources and optimize expenditure

• Effective Asset Management – Continuing to undertake renegotiation of contracts and lease rentals, while monetizing assets

• Thrift and Financial Prudence – Taking necessary steps to ensure adequate cash flows while reducing the corporate overheads of the company

Giridhar Sanjeevi, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, IHCL, said, “We have taken substantial steps to preserve liquidity. In addition, we are rationalizing all costs and maintaining the highest financial prudence. This will assist us in managing the evolving situation.”

Qatar Airways is pleased to announce significant updates to its mobile app that allow passengers to plan their travel with greater ease, helping minimise physical contact and interactions throughout their journey. Members of Qatar Airways Privilege Club will earn 1,000 Qmiles when they download the mobile app.

With an updated, intuitively designed look and feel, the Qatar Airways mobile app now presents a personalised home screen that provides the most relevant information to each user. For those with an upcoming flight, the mobile app’s existing ‘My Trips’ feature will now be displayed on the home screen, highlighting the most important information at each stage of their journey. For those without a current booking, special offers will be displayed, tailored to their location.

Additionally, the mobile app is now available in the Arabic language, demonstrating the airline’s commitment to Arabic-speaking customers around the world.

Akbar Al Baker, Chief Executive, Qatar Airways Group, said: “Our refreshed mobile app is the perfect travel companion for our passengers, allowing them to take control of their travel plans, keep them informed at all times and, importantly in the current climate, limit physical contact throughout their journey.

“At Qatar Airways, we continue to invest in award-winning, five-star products and services across all stages of our customers’ journey, and digital technology plays an important role in this. Our customers expect their digital interactions with the Qatar Airways brand to be as smooth and seamless as their journey onboard, and we are working to ensure that our digital products contine to be world-class.”

With the airline’s mobile app’s ‘MyTrips’ feature, now prominently presented on the home screen, passengers can select their preferred seat and meals in advance, check-in online, download their boarding pass to a mobile wallet, and generate a baggage tag to print and attach to their luggage at home. 

Passengers can also enable notifications through the mobile app to receive important alerts about their upcoming flight’s departure times, check-in, boarding and baggage collection. Throughout the passenger’s journey, the mobile app can be used to track baggage and book Meet and Assist services at Hamad International Airport in Doha.

The Federation of Associations in Indian Tourism & Hospitality (FAITH) has again requested multiple Ministries of Government of India, RBI and Niti Aayog for structured fiscal & monetary support to the tourism, travel & hospitality industry.   

FAITH has quoted the Systemic Risk Survey carried out by RBI which has been presented in their Financial Stability Report, July 2020. In these five sectors have been identified which are most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Within them further, tourism and hospitality sector is the one which is most affected where 90 per cvent of the respondents foresee a bleak business scenario for at least the next six months.

FAITH has also quoted the feedback from collections data of GST and IT from Q1 that too demonstrate that the hospitality and tourism sectors are among the most facing difficulty. This implies that almost  75 per cent of the FY 2020-21 business of Indian Tourism, travel & hospitality will get compromised till a mass vaccine is available.

FAITH has requested from the Ministry of Finance complete fiscal and statutory support. They have requested for a Tourism COVID 19 fund which enables tourism businesses to support their employees and their operating costs. They have requested prioritised access to very low-cost funds for tourism which are much closer to the repo rate made available through a process of direct benefit transfer mechanism from Ministry of Finance. Additionally, considering the scenario of negligible cash flows for tourism industry, they have requested a consideration of waiver of statutory payment obligations for the FY 20-21.

FAITH has also requested RBI to consider urgently a tourism sector specific economic & monetary package which considers relief through multi-year moratorium for both principle & interest and a access to very low cost funds closer to the repo rate. They have also request RBI to consider a restructuring package for tourism, travel & hospitality industry.

FAITH urged the Ministry of Commerce to help with enabling SEIS credit to be made available to tourism industry against the foreign exchange earnings. They have also requested that at this time of crisis and business re-building for the tourism industry the SEIS rate should be pegged at 10% for both tour operators and hotels category and should be made applicable on gross foreign exchange earnings. To provide cash flow support and policy continuity they have requested it may be made available for FY 2019-20 and also for the policy period of the FTP 2020-25 with a provision of an additional 500 basis points increase during lean tourism period to stimulate enhanced foreign exchange earnings.

FAITH has requested Ministry of Civil Aviation to help with a robust policy mechanism to ensure cash refunds to travel agents and tour operators from both domestic and foreign airlines. Majority of travel intermediaries are MSMEs and with their cash flows blocked they are undergoing an unprecedented crisis of existence and confidence from both customers and employees.

Faith had also earlier requested the Chief Ministers of all states & the Member of Parliament of both the houses individually for their support with the above. FAITH has requested Niti Aayog for help with all of these points and with the other ministries of Government of India & with State Governments.

Internationally countries are stepping in to support the Tourism, Travel & Hospitality sector. In UK, Government has reduced VAT on restaurants by 75 per cent to encourage dining and is also subsidising 50 per cent of the food bill. In Japan financial support is being extended to the sector for their lost income during lock down. Even in EU, under the SURE program, tourism enterprises have access to funding to save jobs through a corpus and also give access to vouchers to consumers to support their preferred tourism service providers. In Singapore, the government has supported the Tourism industry with funding for rent, taxes and salaries. 

FAITH has also urgently requested Ministry of Tourism for help with the other ministries of Government of India & with State Governments on these points. They have also requested them ensuring travel agents & tour operators for getting back cash refunds from airlines, railways & state national parks.

 To fast track revival of tourism interest, FAITH has also requested Ministry of Tourism to request their creative agency to suggest ideas which elegantly communicate positivity & safety of Indian tourism while weaving these messages around different product segments, destinations and incredible concepts of Indian tourism. These could be designed as multiple series of 30 seconder social media ads each with different versions of voice over of maybe 5-7 Indian and international languages to help stimulate both domestic & international tourism traffic as soon as external conditions permit.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the hospitality industry has changed the way hotel businesses function and manage their operations. The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) and OYO have come together to develop and design an online training and certification course specifically for the hospitality industry.

The course will focus on redesigning the sanitization protocols and minimizing person-to-person contact for a hotel in line with the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) announced by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India. The certification course will help thousands of individual budget, mid-segment, boutique hotels and homestays in India as well as hospitality professionals, to maintain and improve their safety and hygiene standards in line with government and industry benchmarks and best practices. This course is available in Hindi and English.

The certification course will have a set of nine training modules built to help hotels and hospitality professionals implement key safety guidelines. These modules include hotel, staff, guest, front-office, F & B service, housekeeping, guest room cleaning and food production advisories. This will also include an advisory on how to handle suspected COVID or COVID-positive guests.

FICCI will enable and support the implementation of Information Technology (IT) infrastructure and the online delivery platform for the online certification course. OYO has developed and designed the course materials for the program. The partnership is envisaged to create an avenue for hotels and hospitality professionals to meet the challenges of operating a hotel in the present circumstances and provide relevant solutions to address the same.

Upon completion of the course and after due evaluation, successful candidates will receive a Certificate of Compliance by FICCI that will help them implement key safety guidelines, boost customer confidence and help in demand creation as travel resumes in a post-COVID world. The course will also open up avenues for candidates to build a strong career in the hospitality industry.

Commenting on the development, Dilip Chenoy, Secretary General FICCI said, “The hospitality industry in India has both thousands of unorganized and organized players who are vital contributors to both economic opportunities as well as local tourism. COVID-19 has forced changes in operating procedures for all kinds of businesses across the globe and the hospitality industry is no exception to it, hence any support to this large set of professionals and hotels will not only help them navigate the uncertainties better but also drive business and revitalize the tourism potential. This course has been designed to help develop a uniform set of self-regulating guidelines and create supporting mechanisms and frameworks for our industry so that they can benefit from systematic guidelines and sanitation protocols in the post-COVID world.”

Ritesh Agarwal, Founder & Group CEO, OYO Hotels & Homes said, “We have spent considerable time and effort in understanding the requirements of customers and hotels in a post-COVID world. The certification course will enable hospitality professionals and hotels across the country to determine new ways of working, fully understand local and central governments’ guidelines, align with best practices and reimagine operations in a manner that helps both customers and employees feel safe, secure and comfortable. As a global hospitality chain, we are committed to driving best practices across the hospitality industry, sharing our learnings and co-creating a successful future of hospitality in India and beyond. Our collaboration with FICCI is a step in that direction and we are thankful for their support.”

Sharing his thoughts on the initiative, Prahlad Singh Patel, Minister of State (I/C) for Tourism & Culture, Govt of India said, “We welcome the initiative of FICCI & OYO to harness technology to develop a certification course that can provide guidance to small and medium hotel enterprises as well as professionals in maintaining high standards of hygiene, sanitation and operational effectiveness. India has immense tourism potential and any initiative that can help ensure our guests feel comfortable and confident in their travel journeys across the country will go a long way in contributing to the twin visions of Dekho Apna Desh and Incredible India.”

Since July 20, wearing of masks has been made compulsory in enclosed public spaces for anyone over 11 years old, in addition to the application of social distancing. This new measure is part of the prevention and vigilance measures adopted by the French government to prevent a second wave of the pandemic.

Enclosed public spaces and in particular: train stations and airports, public transport, restaurants, cafés and bars, hotels and other collective accommodation, museums, shops, administrative offices and banks, covered markets, libraries, religious establishments and enclosed sports facilities.

To fight against the virus, France has implemented a reinforced control of movement at its borders on 25 July. France has drawn up a list of 16 countries with a heavy circulation of the virus, from which it is only possible to enter with a negative PCR test from before travel or on arrival.

The 16 countries include; Algeria, Bahrain, Brazil, India, Israel, Kuwait, Madagascar, Oman, Panama, Peru, Qatar, Serbia, South Africa, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United States.

For the United Arab Emirates, United States, Panama and Bahrain, a PCR test is mandatory 72 hours before departure. Travellers are required to present a negative test result before boarding a France-boundplane, otherwise they will be denied boarding. For the rest of the countries on the list, a PCR test is mandatory upon arrival in France.

Entry into French territory from countries with high viral circulation is only possible in specific situations (does not apply to tourism till specified further) and is only applicable for French nationals and residents of France.