Spain to prioritise tourists from ‘low-risk Covid-19’ countries like Germany & Nordics while British holidaymakers must wait until statistics ‘improve’

Spain has announced that it will welcome holidaymakers from low-risk Covid-19 countries if it can open its doors to international tourism in mid-June, thanks to the ‘safe travel corridors’ concept.

IN an interview with Spain’s Efe, Reyes Maroto, Minister of Industry, Commerce and Tourism, stated that if the safe corridors concept can be agreed, Spain would prioritise and welcome tourists from countries with low rates of coronavirus, such as Germany and the Nordic nations. However, holidaymakers from the UK would “have to wait to come to Spain until the country’s coronavirus statistics improve”, confirmed Maroto. “It’s very important that the first tourists to Spain are at the same stage of the pandemic as us.”

Although she has spoken with tour operators, such as TUI and Jet2holidays, “the UK authorities are also not recommending that the British travel overseas yet either,” she pointed out.

Nevertheless, if safe corridors can be agreed across Europe, Spain could potentially start to welcome international tourists from mid-June to areas that are safe and ready for international tourism, like the Baleares and Canary Islands, as reported. Some of the islands in both territories are expected to enter Phase 3 of de-escalation on Monday June 1, which are well ahead of most of the other regions in the country. They include La Gomera, El Hierro, La Graciosa in the Canary Islands and Formentera in the Baleares, as reported.