Washington - The world is watching unprecedented events unfurl in destinations that frequently appear in vacation photos, honeymoon albums and study-abroad brochures.
We hear of refugees scrambling onto the shores of Greek islands. Africans and Middle Easterners amassing at the French entrance to the Channel. Crowds at a Budapest train station clamouring for a ride to Germany, where they will seek asylum.
The refugee crisis has consumed Europe and raised questions about the new arrivals in the Old World. It has sparked other questions as well, especially among a group of far more fortunate travellers - tourists. Among them: Is this an appropriate time to visit the continent? Will I be in the way? How can I help?
“Tourism represents an important source of revenue for many European governments currently struggling to handle the large number of refugees crossing their borders,” said Ashley Scarfo, a regional analyst at iJet, a risk-assessment firm. “By continuing to visit these countries, tourists are already improving the situation.”
The situation is fluid, but experts predict that visitors will neither experience serious disruptions nor impede official efforts to manage the influx.
“The largest numbers of refugees are travelling along routes and on modes of transport not frequently used by foreign tourists,” Scarfo said. “European officials continue to take steps to minimise the impact of migrant flows on visitors.”
In Serbia, the two groups could possibly cross paths on public transportation, such as buses at the Croatian border and in downtown Belgrade, according to Melita Sunjic, a spokeswoman with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. In Austria, refugees and tourists are sharing trains, said Ruth Schoeffl, also with the High Commissioner for Refugees.
Earlier in the summer, throngs of refugees had converged on railway stations in Rome and Milan, said Carlotta Sami, a spokeswoman for the UNHCR. However, the crowds thinned after officials established centres to handle the hordes.
“Tourists may cross (refugees) on regional trains,” Sami said, “but we never registered any problem.”
In Germany, most of the refugees land in the eastern region bordering Austria, around the towns of Freilassing and Passau. The country's distribution system is supposed to evenly spread out the displaced people so one region or city is not overwhelmed by the arrivals. However, the southern state of Bavaria has been particularly swamped, with thousands of refugees disembarking in the Munich train station.
Martin Rentsch, a UNHCR spokesperson in Germany, said authorities have been making special arrangements, including separate trains for refugees, to handle the crowds of rail passengers.
Greece has received approximately 350 000 refugees from the start of the year through Sept. 21, according to Sami, but they are mainly en route to northern destinations. On the Greek islands, she said, travelers may come into contact with refugees at markets, city parks, beaches and port terminals. Tourists on the resort islands of Kos and Lesbos, a few miles from the Turkish coast, have encountered Syrians swimming or paddling to shore.
“The Greek islands have the most striking contrasts,” Scarfo said, “between the people sunning and the refugees.”
For the most part, the processing centres and housing facilities sit off the tourist track . Scarfo said refugees have taken shelter in converted warehouses, schools, gyms, government-run camps and disused airports, such as a hangar at Tempelhof Airport in Berlin.
Some asylum-seekers in Berlin have acquired vouchers for hostels or booked rooms in hotels. But the majority live in camps, an arrangement that Markus Knauf, a spokesman with the German Embassy, said could change when the weather turns cold. Hotels, for instance, might have to step in to provide shelter.
In Serbia, refugees stay in impromptu camp sites, reception centres and cheap hostels. Registered refugees in Greece are free to choose their type of lodging, including hotels, though most tend to stay in private homes.
Travelers to areas with refugees should prepare for delays. “Several European countries have implemented formal and informal border controls in light of the ongoing influx of migrants to the region,” Scarfo said. “These include international rail service interruptions and vehicle checkpoints at border crossings, especially from Austria to Germany.”
In mid-September, for example, Germany instituted temporary checks along its border with Austria. Knauf said the inspections are random and could slow down travel. Austria also implemented selective controls at three crossings with Hungary.
“New restrictions could be imposed in locations across the continent with little warning,” Scarfo said. “Tourists should maintain a degree of flexibility in their travel plans, unless travelling by air, and carry proper identification and travel documents at all times.”
Last month, Germany's national railway, Deutsche Bahn, suspended long-distance passenger services between Munich and the main stations in Budapest and Salzburg, Austria. Austria's national railway recently announced that it will halt services between Salzburg and Germany until at least Oct. 12. Knauf said travelers should check with the train operator or a travel agent before heading to the station. Todd Powell, co-founder and chief executive of Vacations By Rail, encouraged visitors to take alternate forms of transportation across the border, such as private transfers.
US embassies across Europe are providing updates as events unfold. William Cocks, a spokesperson for the State Department's Bureau of Consular Affairs, directs Americans to the security messages that embassies issue as problems arise. For example, last month, the embassy in Budapest posted a message concerning delays at Keleti railway station.
“Rail passengers should be prepared to show their passports to be admitted to the trains and platforms,” the message read. “Rail traffic to and from the station has been subject to significant delays. In some cases, departures have been cancelled.”
Cocks also reminds travelers to make two copies of all critical documents and to leave a set with a friend or relative at home. Also sign up for the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program to receive alerts and avoid large demonstrations or gatherings. A sprinkling of protesters in Germany, Latvia and Finland have voiced their displeasure over recent developments, and iJet analysts said they are worried about future outbreaks regionwide as tensions build.
Tourists that wish to help are encouraged to step forward. In Greece, some guests have altered their vacations to incorporate refugee assistance into their holiday plans. (One warning: Before you give anyone a ride, know the laws or you could be arrested for smuggling or human trafficking.) Experts suggest that visitors donate food, clothing, diapers and other necessities to aid organisations. Schoeffl, with the UNHCR, said tourists should reach out to local groups collaborating with authorities at train stations and borders. In Germany, Rentsch advised visitors to contact the Federal Border Police, Pro Asyl or the refuge council in each federal state.
“Help is much appreciated,” Schoeffl said. “It can also be just listening and sharing a light moment.”
The Washington Post