'Not an invitation to go there': Germany urges against Mallorca holiday following lifting of travel warning
Germany's foreign minister on Wednesday urged
his countrymen to think twice about rushing to Mallorca over the Easter holidays after the sun-soaked Spanish island was taken off the coronavirus risk list.
The lifting of Berlin's travel warning for the Balearic island has sparked a flurry of bookings from shutdown-weary Germans in recent days, with airlines laying on hundreds of extra flights to meet the surge in demand.
But Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said the delisting of Mallorca was "not an invitation to go there", especially considering Germany's recent uptick in coronavirus cases, which has sparked warnings of a third wave.
"We have an increased incidence rate in Germany, and everyone is still called upon to do their part," Maas told reporters in Berlin, with Easter school holidays due to begin in most German states from next weekend.
"Travel is one those things that leads to more contacts, and that's why this is a decision that everyone has to make for themselves. But I hope citizens handle this responsibly."
READ ALSO: 'Germans are coming back': Spaniards sceptical over return of tourists
Mallorca is one of the most popular holiday destinations among Germans, and is sometimes jokingly referred to as Germany's 17th state.
Tourism giant TUI has said that it has received more bookings for Mallorca in recent days than in the same period in 2019, and would be doubling the number of its flights plying the route to the island to 300.
Lufthansa subsidiary Eurowings on Wednesday said the extra 300 Easter holiday flights it had offered at the weekend were already sold out, and that it had added another 50 flights.
Other airlines including Lufthansa, Condor and Ryanair have also said they are increasing the number of flights.
READ ALSO: Spain braces for German Easter influx as flights boom
The updated travel advice means Germans no longer have to quarantine when they return home from Mallorca, or undergo mandatory testing.
Calls are growing however for returning travellers to be tested anyway, a suggestion Maas said "would be in everyone's interest".
Tourists arriving on the Spanish island must show a negative coronavirus test that is less than 72 hours old.
READ ALSO: Germany set to lift travel warning for parts of Spain and Portugal
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The lifting of Berlin's travel warning for the Balearic island has sparked a flurry of bookings from shutdown-weary Germans in recent days, with airlines laying on hundreds of extra flights to meet the surge in demand.
But Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said the delisting of Mallorca was "not an invitation to go there", especially considering Germany's recent uptick in coronavirus cases, which has sparked warnings of a third wave.
"We have an increased incidence rate in Germany, and everyone is still called upon to do their part," Maas told reporters in Berlin, with Easter school holidays due to begin in most German states from next weekend.
"Travel is one those things that leads to more contacts, and that's why this is a decision that everyone has to make for themselves. But I hope citizens handle this responsibly."
READ ALSO: 'Germans are coming back': Spaniards sceptical over return of tourists
Mallorca is one of the most popular holiday destinations among Germans, and is sometimes jokingly referred to as Germany's 17th state.
Tourism giant TUI has said that it has received more bookings for Mallorca in recent days than in the same period in 2019, and would be doubling the number of its flights plying the route to the island to 300.
Lufthansa subsidiary Eurowings on Wednesday said the extra 300 Easter holiday flights it had offered at the weekend were already sold out, and that it had added another 50 flights.
Other airlines including Lufthansa, Condor and Ryanair have also said they are increasing the number of flights.
READ ALSO: Spain braces for German Easter influx as flights boom
The updated travel advice means Germans no longer have to quarantine when they return home from Mallorca, or undergo mandatory testing.
Calls are growing however for returning travellers to be tested anyway, a suggestion Maas said "would be in everyone's interest".
Tourists arriving on the Spanish island must show a negative coronavirus test that is less than 72 hours old.
READ ALSO: Germany set to lift travel warning for parts of Spain and Portugal
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