As part of the government pilot 'Safe and responsible travel during corona', Sunweb and Transavia have received the green light for a trial holiday to Rhodes. This pilot is the first step towards a perspective on how the Dutch can enjoy beautiful holidays again this summer season. The aim of the pilot is to gain new (behavioral) insights and to collect data about the conditions under which people can go on holiday safely and responsibly. Together with industry association ANVR, the organizations have been preparing for the first holiday pilot on April 12 for some time. The holiday includes an eight-day all-inclusive package trip to the Greek island of Rhodes, operated by Sunweb and Transavia. 

Frank van Oostdam, director of ANVR, expresses his confidence in the results of this pilot. “The Dutch are eager to travel abroad again and travel organizations are also eager to provide those holidays. But it must be safe and 'corona proof'. I am confident that this initiative will demonstrate that we can go on holiday safely and completely ”.

In a holiday bubble
In this pilot, travelers can enjoy their vacation in a “bubble” in the luxury resort Hotel Mitsis Grand Beach. This resort is exclusively open to holidaymakers of Sunweb and Transavia, so that there are no other guests except the hotel staff. All facilities at the resort are open to guarantee a whole holiday experience. In addition to respecting existing corona measures, vacationers are not allowed to leave the resort during their vacation. During the booking process, but also during, before and after the holiday, all travelers are in close contact with the tour operator, Sunweb. Travelers must pass a corona test prior to their vacation and present a negative PCR test upon check-in at the hotel. Before their return journey, another PCR test will be taken at the hotel.

Marcel de Nooijer, CEO of Transavia: “We are delighted that at this moment we can do our 'bit' to gain experience in the travel sector and to learn through cooperation to put a positive spin on this radical period. ANVR, Corendon, TUI and Sunweb, This holiday travel pilot enables us to collect valuable data so that we can safely go on holiday together again. And of course, these insights are shared with the entire sector so that all partners in the travel industry can use them. Together we want nothing more than to give the entire sector and all Dutch people who want to travel again a positive outlook ”.

Sign up for the pilot
Interested people who crave sun, sea and sand can register via the website from Wednesday 24 March at 18.00 pm www.sunweb.nl. Based on all registrations, Sunweb manually selects the 189 holidaymakers who meet the criteria set for the target group by the Dutch government. This target group consists of different age groups, excluding high-risk patients. The selected guests will then be contacted personally by Sunweb by telephone to discuss all information and guidelines.

Trust
Mattijs ten Brink, CEO of Sunweb Group: “I am obviously happy with the holiday pilot. The travel industry yearns for a concrete date on which we can travel again. Holidays are high on everyone's wish list and the need for a holiday is only increasing. Holidays are the perfect time to recharge, unwind and take a break from your hectic life. That's why we think everyone deserves a great vacation. I remain convinced that we will therefore be able to go on holiday again soon ”.

The success of the pilot  
The holiday pilot is considered successful when the number of infections is zero. This does not mean that travel restrictions due to such a low number of infections can necessarily be relaxed. But is the first step to achieve this. The holiday pilot is only carried out if it is considered safe by RIVM. The government can 'press' the emergency button at any time if the destination is extremely contaminated or shows signs of worrying variants. The pilot holiday will then be canceled. The holiday pilot Sunweb and Transavia is being evaluated by an independent agency, according to Sunweb on their website.

Also read: Not on holiday abroad in May, after all