Are Americans welcome in Europe this year?

No. Things are opening and changing so quickly, thanks to the increased rate of vaccinations, that most people are too busy getting back to life. There are losers on every social media site who use that as a cover to let their self-hatred out. Years ago we noticed when reading French newspapers that the French websites often quickly descend into nastiness; it’s a place people can let off steam in a society where it's important to maintain face-to-face politeness. This person probably wants the Mona Lisa all to herself with no visitors. Report it or just forget about a couple of nasty people on the web. No they aren't representative.

Jules

The final decision is yours. It should be a well thought out decision. What I did when I read a post about are we being “ethical” visiting after the pandemic - I contacted two hotels where I have stayed several times. I have a rapport with the owners. One hotel is in France and the other in Italy. Both emphatically said: please come. Europe has been under a more severe lockdown than we have. They are ready to start their lives and businesses again. They want us to come. A tour company today said please come but be prepared to follow our protocol. I’m still wearing a mask even though I’ve been vaccinated. I have enough respect for these businesses and owners to do as they ask. I will wear a mask wherever they tell me I must to keep everyone safe.
There will always be naysayers - so take those comments as you wish. Personally I make my own decisions based on research for totally unusual circumstances like a pandemic.
France and Italy are both requesting mask coverage at all times. I’m happy to comply because come the middle of July, I will return to my hotel, get a glass of chilled rose and be thankful that I decided to visit the lavender fields of Provence.
RS has not made a final decision on the 2021 tours.

Good luck.

I have no knowledge about your question, but I will say that I found the RS Facebook group to be pretty useless. I joined, but left rather quickly as I found too much misinformation and idiocy. This was before covid--I doubt it has improved.

jules- I do not live in France and thus cannot address the vast majority of your post. I am not a member of the RS Facebook group nor have I read any of it. I will say one thing- stick to facts. RS is not conducting 2021 tours because the business model does not support it. Tourists cannot get into much of Western Europe; at least not 4 months ago--it takes lead time to set up tours. Restaurants cannot handle large groups under local covid regs that constantly change, nor tour bus loads of visitors etc. Many museums are barely open...limited days/hours/advanced reservations required etc. RS not running tours in 2021 has nothing to do with supporting some type of anti-selfish movement. His not conducting 2021 tours is a totally unrelated matter that they are apparently attempting to twist to their own bent/use. My best solution for your concerns--stay off that Facebook page. Just walk away from it. You will not win arguments with them so don't waste your energy trying.

In the jazz world the best musicians are Americans based around New York.
Last I checked, many of the long lived well attended jazz festivals this summer in France, Italy and Spain have Americans as headliners like they have for over 60 years.

Jules

Fact: from RS website on 2021 tours - lots of info can be found in the FAQ section

“Can I book a 2021 tour?
If Europe's early reopening goes well, we hope to run some tours in late 2021. For now, we've cancelled all our departures through September and are keeping a close eye on evolving conditions. If we determine we can run any 2021 tours safely and reliably, we'll open any available dates for booking. These tours may need to be flexible on itinerary specifics.”

Both the Musee d’Orsay and the Pompidou Center are open with regular schedules. However tickets must be purchased in advance . France doesn’t open to Americans until June 9 - not too far away.

Let me add that plenty of French travel companies have their tours scheduled, and French people are signing up. We're about to join a French group going to Rome in October. My guess is that it's easier for the European companies to get back into gear. So these people don't know what they are talking about.

jules, I really appreciate your question because I have seen the same thing (I scroll the group for the pretty pictures). One additional thing I have noticed is that a lot of that attitude comes from the same few people. And it may legitimately be their feeling but apparently it is just that - their opinion and not a feeling in general.

Sorry, I can’t address your direct question, but I too haven’t eaten out in 15 months, wear masks when out, shop at 9pm to avoid the crowds etc and I won’t be holidaying in Europe this year, staying in the U.K..

Although I have been vaccinated, it doesn’t give 100% protection and the rules on travel change quickly, sometimes to your benefit and other times not. I went to Spain in October and my return flight got changed 7 times and I ended up having to either lose 3 days or add 4 days. Luckily we could be flexible about the accommodation, car hire, airport parking etc. It was stressful and hassle. Testing has various degrees of accuracy but isn’t infallible.

I have friends who live in France, Portugal and Spain and they all say the same - their vaccination rates are way behind the U.K. and they wish people would stay away this year, although they know that their tourism industry would benefit. Is that selfish or just nervousness that things can quickly go backwards rather quickly? We have had harsher, longer lockdowns than America from what I can gather and no one wants that situation to be prolonged. Undoubtedly, opening up borders to anyone will increase the risk. My U.K. friends have the same view, although some in their 20s and 30s are more relaxed about international travel.

The U.K. has the highest vaccination rate in Europe and the fastest growing rate of positive Covid cases due to the Indian variant. Infection rates have tripled in some towns in a week. France, Germany and Austria have all introduced bans or quarantine to all British going there this week as a result, whilst Portugal and Spain have opened up to us with no restrictions. Policies change quickly.

I would have thought that the views of my friends in various locations will be mirrored across the general population when countries first reopen their borders. Once people get used to seeing foreigners around, assuming their infection rates don’t rise, that attitude will change. If infections do rise, then you are likely to get a cooler reception.

It's the same question we have here-which do we prioritize, people being able to work and thus have food and a roof over their heads, or trying to control the virus in whatever way seems best at the moment? I do think the safety nets for workers whose jobs disappeared during Covid helps the first situation, but there is also the mental health situation for them and for people who've spent a long time in lockdown. There's no good answer but vaccinations are the closest thing to an answer. I wouldn't go to Europe now because of the uncertainty about rule changes and the hassles of getting tested, but I don't think my vaccinated self would be much of a health threat where people are wearing masks-of course some vaccinations appear to be more effective than others. I also made 3 domestic trips in 2020 and I know the hotels and takeout restaurants were glad to have our business.

Now that I am older , if I still based my decisions upon others opinion, I would still be eating liver and onions. ...twopffenig

"But being rather self-centered,"
Please clarify. Are you referring to Americans, Murcianos/Mruciansa, or yourself?

Ask a 100 “Europeans” this question and you will likely get 100 different answers.

That's the best answer.

It's the same as if you ask "Are Europeans welcome in the USA this year? It depends on who you ask. There is no one consensus.

That's why it's important to ignore opinions on the RS Facebook page and on this forum. They are just individual opinions and mean absolutely nothing.

I appreciate the discussion. I do understand there are many opinions depending on individual's circumstances. My concern is that I really don't want to visit a place where the majority of the locals do not want me there. I was shocked looking at the facebook comments and my feelings were hurt, to be honest. I do tend to take things in life quite personally. I don't want to contribute to any "ugly American" attitudes.

Of course I will watch the COVID situation in France, Spain and in my area to make any kind of final decision. The last thing I would want to do is endanger my health or the health of others.

My takeaway from the conversation is that when I go, if I behave as I typically do when I travel, (understated, pleasant, polite, flexible) I shouldn't have a problem with local attitudes. My other takeaway is to "snooze" the facebook group. The information people on there provide is seldom helpful, I can find "pretty pictures" elsewhere.

The idea that people that choose to travel are extremely cavalier in regards to the health of others was frustrating to me, in that my husband and I have been extremely careful in regard to COVID. We felt we needed to be, our parents are old and frail and we are awaiting the birth of our first grandchild. Plus, should we not have been careful, my offspring (scientists and a teacher) would have been all over us.

What I did do during COVID which I still feel a bit guilty about, was travel twice to Hawaii. My daughter moved there for grad school, mid pandemic and has been basically isolated in a studio apartment taking and teaching her courses online. She knew no one in Hawaii and was very lonely, so I felt the travel was quite essential. Hawaii has been very careful in regards to COVID, so I found many shops, attractions like Diamond head and other hikes and restaurants closed. I knew that before I went, and since I was there primarily to see my daughter and dislike shopping anyway, I was fine with that. Similarly, if in September when I go to France and Spain, shops are closed. I'm good with that. Much of what we've planned is outdoors. Now if many museums and restaurants are closed, that would be a bit sad, but if we chose to go we would find things to do. I also have no problem wearing masks, socially distancing, etc. and certainly wouldn't try to sneak into countries. I, by nature, am a rule follower.

The RS Facebook group is just the worst. I was a member for a few months and got so fed up with the constant America bashing that I left the group. I'm all for different points of view, but that group was terrible.

But to the question at hand, I live in a very touristy "Jersey Shore" town. As a general rule, we locals do not like tourists. They are loud and obnoxious and crowd the roads and leave trash on the beach and make it hard to get into our favorite restaurants etc, etc.. But they also provide ALOT of revenue to local businesses and local governments. So I would bet that many local Europeans don't want American tourists or any tourists to flood back in and ruin their nice local communities (they probably didn't want tourists to begin with). But without that revenue, taxes go up and many of those local businesses will disappear. The reality is, they need tourism, just like my town needs tourism, like it or not.

So, I believe, tourists will be welcomed as always by businesses and governments. And individuals who never liked tourist will continue to not like tourists

BTW, American tourists are no worse than any other tourists. I've seen bad behavior from tourists who were clearly not Americans. Unfortunately, there are jerks from every country!!

Get out there and enjoy your trip to France!!!!

I'm planning to do as much travel to safe places now before all the tourists come back.

Bets, I am really excited to see Dordogne, Carcassonne, San Sebastian and more with fewer people. I always have to balance my dislike of crowds with my wish list of places I'd like to go.

I found the RS Facebook group to be pretty useless. I joined, but left rather quickly as I found too much misinformation and idiocy.

I feel the same way about Facebook in general, although from reading the comments here, it sounds like the RS Facebook group is worse than other parts of FB.

Chances are, all the major variants are in most countries.

So for instance, France increased restrictions on arrivals from the UK because of the Indian variant that is causing an outbreak in some parts of the UK.

Well if that variant isn't already in France, it eventually will be, whether or not France bans all UK arrivals for months or years.

Or the same mutations in that Indian variant will develop in some of the covid cases in France eventually as long as you still have thousands of infections a day for months.

So far the vaccines, particularly the mRNA vaccines, have shown good or great efficacy vs. all variants. So the way out of this is to vaccinate as much of the population as possible, to get new infections down.

Travel restrictions aren't going to impact the one way or another, though it might have made sense to allow only vaccinated people to travel.

It appears that the UK residents will be allowed to visit the EU by July 1, perhaps North Americans as well.

I agree that if you talk to 100 people in France, you will get 100 different opinions. Just like here. Looking at this as an American who has travelled quite a bit in the US and is planning a trip to a couple national parks this summer; I would be very happy to encounter European tourists, but last summer I didn't miss the tour busses of Asian and European tourists one bit. Or busses full of American tourists, either.

I don't think it's selfish one bit to travel this summer. Here to Europe or Europe to the U.S. And I hope Canada opens up.

Covid is here to stay. If you're vaccinated, GO.

Well UK people can already go to Portugal and Spain as of last week. They may have to take tests and quarantine once they're back in the UK but these EU countries, as well as Greece, Croatia and Iceland, are already letting them in.

They're going to prioritize UK tourists, because more of them visit these EU countries than Americans.

Don't assume the countries which let in UK tourists will also let in Americans as well.

France made it official for non-EU visitors, starting on 9 June.

https://www.gouvernement.fr/sites/default/files/contenu/piece-jointe/2021/06/210603_dp-covid_frontieres_20h40.pdf

US (and UK) are in the Orange list, meaning vaccinated Americans can visit France for tourism this summer, starting next Wednesday. However, they still have to produce negative PCR or Antigen test results.

Unvaccinated people from Orange list countries can't visit France for tourism at all.

Presumably they will accept CDC cards from Americans since that's the only type of vaccine documentation Americans have.

So the interesting question for me now would be what would happen on a France/Spain/France trip, when I return to France from Spain. If I am understanding correctly, I can get into Spain with a vaccine card. As of now, I will need a neg. test to get into France from the U.S. Will I need another COVID test to go back to France from Spain? And obviously a lot can change in 3 months, or by tomorrow. . .

Jules, based on what Carlos posted in the other thread, I think you'd currently also need a test to get into Spain. From Carlos's post [emphasis mine]:

"Additionally, the Spanish authorities have announced that the country plans to allow arrivals from the United States and other third countries from June 7, provided that the travellers have been vaccinated with one of the vaccines approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA).

"Travellers falling under this category should prove that they have received the required vaccine dose(s) at least 14 days before entering Spain. Nonetheless, everyone will still be required to provide a negative COVID-19 test result upon entry."

@acraven. Yes, I saw that post. But, I read this one first, and I don't think it mentioned a COVID test for Spain. Perhaps it was just wishful thinking.

So if an Vaxxed American enters Spain with a negative Covid test, do they have to re test to go to France? In a perfect world, I would fly to an EU nation that requires no negative test result and just proof of vaccination, then jump around Europe without having to test.

@mexitokyo, Well, yes, I agree, except that some countries are requiring testing even if you cross the border on land. Right now, I know for sure (as sure as I can be as of today) that both France and Spain are requiring COVID tests to enter the country.

American enters Spain with a negative Covid test, do they have to re test to go to France?

yes

So if an Vaxxed American enters Spain with a negative Covid test, do
they have to re test to go to France? In a perfect world, I would fly
to an EU nation that requires no negative test result and just proof
of vaccination, then jump around Europe without having to test.

As of right now, I (a fully vaccinated EU citizen living about 35km from the French border) need a PCR test to drive into France; something I used to do about once a month before the pandemic.

I certainly hope that when non-EU tourists are allowed to enter to the EU spaces, they will rather follow whatever rules are in place in a straightforward manner, including all necessary testing.

Many of us will recall the incidents of US tourists travelling to Ireland and failing to quarantine as required and this understandably angered many locals but people don't like to quarantine and the temptation to not do so is strong. Here in the UK we're currently witnessing the effect of people failing to quarantine where the Indian variant is behind a rise in cases. It is clear that a proportion of people returning from India prior to being placed on the 'Red List' did not undertake the required ten day quarantine at home.

We're currently witnessing a wave of people rushing to return home to the UK before Portugal is moved to the 'Amber List', cutting short their holidays simply to avoid having to quarantine.

How many visitors to the UK from an 'Amber' country are genuinely going to quarantine for 10 days? That's a big concern for people so there is a reluctance for many Europeans to see a return to mass tourism at the moment.

The G7 Summit is being held in the UK, officially from 11 to 13 June.

There are probably ministers meeting right now.

There have been articles about the airlines pressuring the US and UK to open a travel corridor.

There has also been demands that US give reciprocity. If vaccinated Americans are allowed to visit EU countries this year, vaccinated EU residents should be also allowed to visit US without quarantines.

So there's some hope that the G7 leaders will make some big announcement during this G7. They certainly will announce something though not necessarily about lifting travel restrictions.

Otherwise failing that, maybe there will be some announcement around July the 4th, which has been set as a target for getting things back to normal by the administration.

U.S. forming expert groups on safely lifting global travel restrictions

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-forming-working-groups-how-lift-key-travel-restrictions-2021-06-08/

I just had a conversation with my friend the other day. He was in Italy for ten days, and yeah, to be honest, the covid restrictions are pretty annoying, and many places are closed, but the cities are less crowded than they could be, and locals are so happy that Americans can travel to Italy as they have financial problems due to covid.

It is great that EU's digital Covid-19 certificate is open to international travelers, but with neither US federal nor state governments having a process to certify vaccination status for such foreign certificates, I'm afraid all those eased restrictions to vaccinated visitors will not be available to Americans since we can't practically get such EU certificates, nor an equivalent US one since there is none. I doubt EU will accept the CDC card now that they made the digital certificate official across the EU because the CDC card is not secure and can be easily counterfeited.

there are already multiple reports of vaxxed Americans going to the EU and getting in w their CDC card with no issue.

gw, skunk is right. Americans have been welcomed to many EU countries since June 9th with a CDC card and a negative Antigen test.

https://thepointsguy.com/news/travel-to-reopened-france-covid/

I'm currently in the Costa Del Sol and I've heard a number of American accents (or they might be Canadian, I can't discern the difference) however the provenance of their presence is not known to me, suffice to say that they're presenting as tourists rather than residents.

Well, someone in another thread posted a link to an Irish consulate in NY webpage saying CDC card is an accepted vaccination evidence. But what does this card enable you? You don't have to do the mandatory quarantine at a hotel, but you still need to quarantine at a location indicated in your application form. For a foreign tourist who has to stay in a hotel anyway, what is the difference. European governments are not stupid, not so "real" vaccination evidence in exchange of not so "real" benefit. What I have in mind is the "no test no quarantine" in the near future, perhaps as soon as July 1 enabled by the EU digital certificate. I wonder if American tourists will be practically denied of the full border crossing benefit of vaccination as long as the coronavirus remains a threat. Who wants to burden his/her vacation with all those tests and quarantines unless a die hard Europe fan?! I do agree if you are desperate to avoid mass tourist crowds, now is your opportunity if you can stomach the tests and possible quarantines.

I hope that the US government will wise up and issue vaccination passport for international travel. It is like the passport. Not needed for domestic travel but needed for international travel. Right now the government refuses to issue such vaccination passport, so we are left with a situation of almost print-at-home vaccination passport (CDC card). I wonder how long the European countries will accept such insecure vaccination evidence.

who has to quarantine? there's no quarantine in France for vax'd pax from the US; Ireland's not yet open, but I don't think they have to quarantine either.

gw, there are EU countries that do not require a quarantine if you are fully vaccinated (CDC card is accepted) and a negative PCR/Antigen test.

skunk, didn’t see your post before I posted. Brilliant minds think alike.

Susan - not a problem at all! :)

France updated their entry rules, putting US in the Green list.

https://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/coming-to-france/coronavirus-advice-for-foreign-nationals-in-france

Previously, only vaccinated with negative test.

Now, either vaccination card or negative test.

There's also a report that Germany is opening up from June 25.

Come on Italy, Austria and Switzerland, get with the program!

As of 19 June American citizens and residents are allowed to enter Poland
https://www.gov.pl/web/usa-en/changes-regarding-travel-restrictions-to-poland

https://strazgraniczna.pl/pl/aktualnosci/k-wjazd-do-polski-kwara/8952,Koronawirus-wjazd-do-Polski-granica-zewnetrzna.html

Proof of vaccination or test on arrival (PCR or rapid antigen) is required to be exempted from quarantine (rules for arrivals from outside of the Schengen Area). Non vaccinated arrivals from within the Schengen Area can do a test before arrival or 48h after arrival in Poland (their choice).