Canary Islands Considers Paying for Tourist’s Covid-19 Tests Before Arriving to Spain This Summer

The Canary Islands are considering paying for Covid-19 tests as they gear up to welcome tourists in Spain after the pandemic.

THE Canary Islands have had one the most positive epidemiological evolutions in Spain during the coronavirus crisis and therefore the region is a top contender for welcoming tourists during the summer season.

The tests will be conducted before the passengers at their original destination even board their flight.

This decision to test passengers falls under the umbrella of marketing the Canary Islands as a safe and Covid-free destination.

A spokesperson for the Canary government, Julio Perez, has assured that although there are no firm policies set in place yet to determine that travellers arrive free from the virus, they will most likely have a series of regulations and sanitary information to ensure they are healthy upon arrival.

However, the notion of testing individuals before they arrive is rather controversial as there are no legalities which can ensure people go through with the test. In other words, passengers can refuse to be tested

Perez admits that in an ideal world, travellers would come to the Canary Islands already having taken the test and he insists that covering the costs of the Covid-19 tests is cheaper than having to finance mass unemployment costs.

The Canary Islands is heavily dependent on a stable income from its tourism industry, as in 2018 this sector represented at least 35 per cent of its GDP.