Dutch to revise holiday travel advice next week; De Jonge: Wait to book anything

The Dutch government plans to announce next week its revised advice about the summer holidays and travel, both domestic and international. The topic will be on the agenda at a weekend meeting of ministers and Outbreak Management Team members, and any new policy will be announced at a press conference on Tuesday, May 11, said caretaker Health Minister Hugo de Jonge.

He said that people should wait to book anything, even campsites, until hearing the new advice from the caretaker Cabinet. “It is certainly good to have a look at all kinds of sites. Determine your campsite in advance, I would say. But to actually book it? It is wise to wait for the travel advice. We will give that on Tuesday,” he said to reporters.

The current advice from the Dutch government is for all residents to avoid traveling abroad unless it is an urgent situation. That advice is set to expire on May 15. Quarantining for up to ten days is strongly advised upon return. The current Cabinet has put forward a bill to make the quarantine obligatory and enforceable beginning on May 15. 

De Jonge and Prime Minister Mark Rutte said during the last press conference that more information about travel would be released this week. However, the Cabinet already decided on Saturday that no further lockdown restrictions would be relaxed this week, and thus there was no reason to hold the press conference on May 4 as planned.

”We have decided to postpone the entire decision-making to next week, including holidays," De Jonge said, according to newswire ANP. De Jonge, Rutte, other ministers and OMT members are expected to meet on Sunday to discuss the current state of the pandemic in the Netherlands.