Spain Welcoming Travelers From June 2021
From its beaches, to its forests, mountains, desert areas and cities and everything in between, Spain is a world in one country and a great destination for anyone. The good news is, after just over a year of the COVID-19 pandemic, Spain is ready to welcome visitors again from June 2021.
Spain opening to visitors in June
Following a pilot trial of digital health certificates, to be run at all 46 airports in May, Spain will be open and ready for visitors from June this year.
During the World Travel and Tourism Council global summit in Mexico, Spain’s tourism minister, Fernando Valdes Verelst, outlined the country’s plans for reopening. While he did say that the European Union digital health certificate is not a “magical wand,” he said it does offer certainty for travelers to organize their visit.
Delegates at the event in Cancun were pleased to hear that the European Union hopes to be able to welcome vaccinated Americans to visit this summer. However, Brussels has yet to open discussions with the United Kingdom on mutual recognition of vaccine passports.
Verelst said, “The best thing governments right now can provide to travelers is certainty.” Stressing that travelers need certainty when returning to their home countries, he did say he hopes that negotiations with other countries will lead to reciprocal arrangements. The tourism minister said that should holidaymakers face restrictions on arriving home, this will not help tourism. Verelst stressed, “It is no use to open only one side of the equation.”
Vaccine certification plans in Spain
Verelst explained that Spain has been planning for vaccine certification since February, due to the importance of tourism to the Spanish economy. According to a report by the Guardian, tourism forms around 12 percent of Spain’s GDP. Verelst told delegates, “Spain is going to be ready in June to use this digital certificate.”
He then told delegates that Spain was running a pilot program in May at all the country’s 46 airports, which he said will give all travelers this certainty.
EU Digital Green Certificate
The European Union’s Digital Green Certificate offers visitors a way to prove their health status. The certificate will include vaccination certificates, negative PCR test results, as well as medical certificates for those who have recovered from COVID-19 in the previous 180 days.
Steps taken by Greece
Earlier at the World Travel and Tourism Council global summit, Harry Theocharis, Greece’s tourism minister, explained the measures taken in Greece to be able to reopen to international travelers from May 14, as well as to cruises from May 3.
Theocharis told The Times that Greece would allow Britons who have had both COVID-19 vaccinations to enter the country using only their paper handwritten NHS card. The report said that the paper cards will be accepted, as the UK and EU work on a digital health certificate. However, a spokesperson for Theocharis later said that only official documentation will be acceptable. He also said that it is the understanding of the Greek government that a UK digital health certificate will become available.
Nigel Huddleston, Britain’s tourism minister told the WTTC Summit that their government is cooperating with its counterparts in other countries to coordinate the measures on international travel as well as to liaise on issues such as vaccine certification. Huddleston said the British government wants to work, and is working closely, with their EU partners and with other countries around the world.
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