Benidorm to have first Christmas without Brits due to costly PCR tests

Benidorm is set to have its first Christmas without Brits due to the costly PCR tests required for travel.
Benidorm is set to have a Christmas practically without Brits for the first time ever since it became one of their preferred tourist destinations in Spain. The pandemic has caused serious damage to this market, due to the high costs of PCR tests and other security measures related to COVID-19.
“If a family of four has to do two PCR tests, when they leave and return, despite being vaccinated, the cost is more than 400 pounds. It’s impossible,” said Nuria Montes, the general secretary of the hospitality association for Benidorm and the Valencian Community, HOSBEC.
The requirement for children to be vaccinated is also “not good news, as it is making things much more complicated and reservations are being cancelled and tour operators have suspended all trips for this age range,” she added.
Travelling is complicated because of both the norms in the UK and those in Spain. “Few British people are arriving, even though flights are still operating, and that forces many hospitality establishments to close,” laments Montes.
The hospitality industry accepts the need to avoid infection but highlights the need for more financial aid from the government. “There’s not a lot we can do about the restrictions, because the health situation is very complicated in Spain and Europe, and we need to be cautious, even if that means closing hotels. But after almost 24 months of the crisis, we need a serious plan for economic aid,” insists the spokesperson for HOSBEC.
The latest figures indicate that the sixth wave of coronavirus has led to around 40% less occupation in hotels.
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