Jean-Pierre Mas, president of Travel Companies, denounces “hysterical reactions which do not seem justified” after in particular the suspension of flights with 10 countries in southern Africa.
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“The government is panicking”, denounces Wednesday, December 1 on franceinfo Jean-Pierre Mas, the president of Travel companies. It does not include the new health restrictions to fight the Covid-19 epidemic announced for travelers, including the establishment of a scarlet red level for ten southern African countries to which flights are suspended. Jean-Pierre Mas denounces “hysterical reactions which do not seem justified, in particular with regard to Mauritius “, which represents a large part of the activity of travel companies.
franceinfo: What do you think of the new health restrictions for travel?
Jean-Pierre Mas: I am appalled. There is no European coordination. France is going it alone. We are also witnessing a sort of headlong flight from the precautionary principle which gives rise to hysterical and epidermal reactions that do not seem justified, in particular with regard to Mauritius where health security is perfectly assured and where controls are more stringent. rigorous than in France.
Is the government doing too much?
The government is panicking. I do not understand the reasons because there is not really a demand from public opinion. He wants to protect the French at all costs and he believes that to protect them is to forbid them to travel to a certain number of countries. At the same time, he forgets that travelers who come from these countries will be able to pass perfectly through the Netherlands, Spain, Italy and enter France without any control.
What consequences can there be for the tourism sector?
The main countries of activity for the winter are Morocco, medium haul, and Mauritius and Guadeloupe, long haul. Guadeloupe is arrested for reasons of social insecurity, Morocco is arrested because of the Moroccans and Mauritius, very unfairly, because of the French. It will create a very strong penalty for our sector. The winter season represents a third of the annual activity. If we permanently lose destinations like that, it would make us lose almost half of this activity. It would devastate the companies in our sector so we will ask for the continuation of the support measures that allowed us to get through the Covid crisis.