The seven East Frisian island municipalities, together with their tourism organizations and the East Frisian Islands GmbH, along with virologist Prof. Dr. Dittmer of the University Hospital Essen and other supporters (including the Chambers of Industry and Commerce and DEHOGA), have embarked on a journey to develop a concept for the permanent reopening of tourism on the East Frisian Islands, which shows how tourism can be carried out safely and sustainably while simultaneously controlling the infection rate.

• The safe and permanent opening of tourism in the “East Frisian Islands” region includes the opening of all tourist accommodation establishments as well as retail, catering establishments, cultural and leisure facilities and other tourist offerings on the islands in a first step only for overnight tourism. This means that the project differs from the currently named model regions in Lower Saxony, in which no tourist overnight stays are planned.
• The project has is of particular importance for the state of Lower Saxony. The aim of the project is to make it clear how opening up tourism can be carried out responsibly and how the tourist part of public life can be safely restored.
• The East Frisian islands Due to their accessibility, they can be reached almost exclusively by ferry in a special way for such a project The aim of the project is to
  • > “Real laboratory conditions” to record the effects of a controlled opening of tourism and to monitor them closely based on defined criteria,
  • the Integrated use of all design parameters, including digital systems for processing personal data and their transmission to the health authorities, comprehensive testing concepts and adapted hygiene and protection mechanisms
  • for the whole of Lower Saxony as well as on a nationwide scale to share experiences and thus enable a safe opening of tourism in other destinations in the future.
• Within the Implementation has the infection control and thus ensuring the quality of all processes and measures highest priority.
• At the heart of the opening strategy is a holistic test concept that, in addition to the guests, also takes into account the islanders and tourism employees. Overnight guests – and in the second opening phase also day guests You must therefore present a negative PoC antigen rapid test or PCR test when you arrive on the islands. If there is no Corona test or an outdated Corona test available upon arrival, the guest cannot be transported to the island.
• Test centers will be set up on the islands so that all guests can be tested again with a rapid PoC antigen test approximately 48 hours after their arrival. Only after the second test is it possible to use all of the island's tourist offerings.
• A complete test and tracking chain can only be achieved with digital support. For this purpose, a digital solution is being sought that links personal data with test results and their validity period, so that the guest can be granted access to tourist services via an app-generated QR code and at the same time it is easier to track contacts. Analogue solutions are being developed for the prompt start of the project and for the part of the guests who are not equipped with internet-capable devices.
• For the accompanying scientific research The “Center for Innovation and Sustainability in Tourism (CIST) will be led by Prof. Dr. Ines Carstensen and Prof. Dr. Edgar Kreilkamp involved. A Tourism Science Task Force has been formed within the CIST, in which, among others, scientists from the fields of tourism science, mobility research and medical and pandemic research work together.

The concept will be presented to the state of Lower Saxony for review on April 13, 2021.

The concept is also in line with the proposed change to the Infection Protection Act: According to the draft law, tightening measures are planned if the 7-day incidence exceeds the threshold of 100 on three consecutive days. Accordingly, the concept provides for the termination of the feasibility analysis if the limit value is exceeded. It is also planned to begin the feasibility analysis when a safe opening of tourism on the islands appears possible under the framework conditions outlined in the concept.