Spanish islands: WILLKOMMEN!
Govt targets German holidaymakers in 2-week trial
SPAIN’S Balearic Islands are to allow thousands of German holidaymakers to fly in for a two-week trial to test how to balance the needs of the country’s vital tourism industry with new regulations to curb corona virus.
The trial begins on Monday, before the archipelago and the rest of the country reopens to international tourism on July 1.
The Spanish government is under heavy pressure to reactivate an industry that generates 12 per cent of Spain’s GDP and provides 2.6 million jobs.
Through an agreement with German tour group Tui, other tour operators and several airlines, up to 10,900 Germans will be allowed into the archipelago, its president Francina Armengol said.
That represents only 0.41 per cent of the visitors the Mediterranean islands welcomed in the second half of June last year. The islands, which include Majorca, Ibiza and Menorca, are a magnet for northern European visitors and others seeking sunny beaches, rocky coves and nightlife.
“We will be the first region (in Spain) to open to international tourism under safe conditions,” said Ms Armengol, adding that Germany had been chosen because its government has kept tight controls on its outbreak, just like the Balearic Islands.
VIRUS DEATH TOLL
Germany’s virus death toll — at 8,695 — is about five times less than Britain’s and four times less than Italy’s.
The visitors this month can come from all over Germany and can purchase tickets on a first-come basis until the maximum number of 10,900 is reached.
No previous health checks are required to travel but all visitors will need to complete a questionnaire during their flight aimed at identifying possible infections. They will be exempt from Spain’s rule that visitors need to quarantine for 14 days upon arrival.
They will be able to stay, for a minimum of five nights, at designated hotels, tourism apartments and their own houses in the islands.
As they get off the plane, they will face temperature checks and get information on Spain’s social distancing and mask-wearing rules.
Health authorities will also give them a phone number in case they show symptoms, with strict contact tracing planned and tests for suspected cases and their close contacts.
Spanish authorities imposed a strict lockdown in mid-March that helped curb its outbreak. The country has recorded more than 240,000 positive cases and over 23,000 confirmed virus-related deaths.