Coronavirus impact on the future of air travel
President of the Association of Flight Attendants, Sara Nelson, joins Arthel Neville to discuss the future of air travel amid the coronavirus outbreak.
Get all the latest news on coronavirus and more delivered daily to your inbox. Sign up here.
We’ll be living in the future if artificial intelligence is ultimately deployed across tourist hotspots this summer, with robots potentially patrolling to help enforce safe social distancing and more as the coronavirus pandemic continue, as the European Union (EU) has suggested.
TRAVEL PLANS CANCELED AMID CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK? HERE'S HOW TO GET A FLIGHT REFUND
On Wednesday, the European Union revealed a plan to help citizens of the 27 member states salvage their summer vacation plans and hopefully revive tourism to Europe, to some degree, amid the global COVID-19 health crisis, the Associated Press reports.
Leaders in Brussels, Belgium, are reportedly considering the idea of using artificial intelligence and robotics to monitor tourism. (iStock)
In this March photo, a man riding a bicycle takes photographs in a virtually empty Grand Place in Brussels. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)
According to the Daily Express, leaders in Brussels have recommended the use of artificial intelligence to monitor social distancing rules at busy hubs like airports, resorts and popular attractions. The Sun even claimed that this artificial intelligence, which would include robots, may be deployed to disinfect public spaces and run smart booking systems.
"Artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics can also help [to monitor] physical distancing in line with data protection law or facilitating disinfection, especially in places with regular tourism flows," reads a plan revealed by the EU this week.
FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS
Though the Belgian capital’s plans are voluntary, other member states may adopt similar measures in a bid to boost Europe’s badly battered tourism industry.
In this March photo, a black crow flies over in the deserted Louvre museum courtyard in Paris. (AP Photo/Francois Mori)
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER
Additional measures laid out by the European Commission, the EU’s executive arm, offered advice for lifting ID checks on quickly closed borders; aiding airlines, ferries and buses to resume more operations while protecting the safety of passengers and crew; and preparing additional health measures for hotels to reassure clients.
Gondoliers chat as they wait for customers near St. Mark's square in Venice. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)
“This is not going to be a normal summer, not for any of us. But when we all work together, and we all do our part ... then we don’t have to face a summer stuck at home or a complete lost summer for the European tourist industry,” Commission Executive Vice-President Margrethe Vestager said of the guidelines.
To date, about 150,000 people have died in Europe and Britain since the novel coronavirus surfaced in northern Italy in February. As the spread of the viral disease tapers off, however, some Europeans are cautiously venturing out of confinement to slowly return to school and work.
CLICK HERE FOR FOX NEWS’ CONTINUING CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE
As the Associated Press notes, however, that the EU's guidelines were more akin to suggestions rather than actual rules, meaning it would be up to the member countries themselves to decide how tourism would operate.
“Faced with a disease about which much is still unknown, national capitals have tended to go it alone, and they — not the EU Commission — have the final say over health and security matters," wrote the Associated Press.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Fox News Lifestyle
A look at the top-trending stories in food, relationships, great outdoors and more.
By entering your email and clicking the Subscribe button, you agree to the Fox News Privacy Policy and Terms of Use, and agree to receive content and promotional communications from Fox News. You understand that you can opt-out at any time.