In Bavarian counties and independent cities with a stable seven-day incidence below 100, hotels, guesthouses, vacation apartments, campsites and also youth hostels are allowed to reopen for tourists on the Whitsun weekend. The same applies to cable cars, river and lake navigation, tourist rail and bus services, outdoor city and guest tours, and outdoor areas of medical spas.

The prerequisite is a negative corona test no more than 24 hours old. Beer gardens and outdoor catering are already allowed to reopen with incidences below 100. People from Bavaria can now travel to Austria again for shopping or visits without having to go into quarantine afterwards.

In the northernmost German state, tourism with overnight stays and gastronomy is currently possible in four model regions: on the Bay of Lübeck in the Baltic Sea resorts of Timmendorfer Strand, Scharbeutz, Neustadt and Sierksdorf, in North Friesland, in the Schlei region around Schleswig and Kappeln plus Eckernförde, and in Büsum (Dithmarschen). There are contact restrictions and strict hygiene requirements, including mandatory testing at close intervals. Throughout the state, outdoor catering is already permitted, as the corona incidence is consistently below 100.

From Monday, Schleswig-Holstein will open up tourism to the whole state, with restrictions continuing but being relaxed. Fresh negative corona tests remain mandatory for all.

Restaurants in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania will be allowed to reopen from Pentecost Sunday (May 23) - outside and inside. Tourism in the state will open to residents of the state on June 7 and to guests from other states on June 14. Bookings can be made now, said Minister President Manuela Schwesig (SPD).

In Lower Saxony, tourism and gastronomy have been cautiously opened again since Monday. Overnight stays in hotels, vacation homes or campgrounds are initially possible for residents of the state, the primary or secondary residence counts. This so-called state child regulation is expected to be maintained until the end of May. In addition the external catering trade has opened, all this combined with a test obligation. Day trips are unrestricted, even for residents of other states.

In Berlin, cafes and restaurants are to be allowed to reopen outdoor areas at Whitsun, and city tours and boat trips for tourists are also to be permitted. The prerequisite is that the seven-day incidence is then stable below 100. Guests must have a negative corona test. People with full vaccination protection and convalescents are on an equal footing with them. However, this does not yet apply to the long Ascension weekend. There are to be no relaxations before May 19.

With a seven-day incidence stable below 100, the Hamburg Senate has lifted nighttime curfew restrictions, but restaurants and pubs in Hamburg will not be allowed to open until early June at the earliest - and for now, only outdoor areas may open. Cultural establishments such as theater performances are also to be allowed then. Tourist overnight stays in Hamburg hotels and lodging establishments are not to be possible again until the second half of June.

In Saxony, only in Leipzig could vacation rentals, campgrounds and outdoor restaurants currently open from the Saturday after Ascension Day. A 5+2 rule is stipulated in the state ordinance: For openings, the seven-day incidence in a county or independent city must be below 100 for five consecutive days, plus two preparation days. Dresden has also recently been below the 100 limit, while all other regions are still above it.

The Baden-Württemberg ministries are working on relaxing the Corona rules. "The opening concept is currently being legally cast into a decree and coordinated between the departments," a spokesman for the Ministry of Social Affairs in Stuttgart announced. If everything goes as planned, the relaxations could be announced on Thursday and come into force on Friday. According to SWR information, visits to beer gardens and hotels could become possible - but only in a few counties where the seven-day incidence is below 100 for several days.

Original text: (dpa)

Translation: Mareike Graepel