A BOOT IN THE BALEARICS
Blow to holidaymakers as Spain and Portugal crack down on British tourists
SCOTS hoping for a sunshine break were reeling last night after holiday hotspots announced a crackdown.
Visitors to Spain’s Balearic islands will need a double jag or negative test, while travellers to Portugal require both jabs.
SCOTS hoping for a summer sun break were dealt a hammer blow last night as holiday hotspots announced new crackdowns on UK tourists.
Despite the Balearic holiday islands being placed on the UK Government’s green list this week, holidaymakers will not be allowed to enter without a double vaccination or a recent “gold standard” negative test, Spain’s prime minister announced.
The Portuguese government also imposed a mandatory 14-day quarantine requirement on arrivals from the UK who have not had both vaccinations.
Malta is being added to the UK’s green list tomorrow – but on the same day it is introducing a new rule that would only permit UK visitors who are fully vaccinated.
The crackdown will hit young holidaymakers hard, as many of them have yet to receive their second vaccine dose.
The moves came as Scotland recorded a record high 3285 of daily infections yesterday as the Delta variant surges through the country.
Spain’s PM Pedro Sanchez announced the new rules, saying UK Covid figures were “worrying” because the accumulated 14-day rate was “well above 150 cases per 100,000 inhabitants”.
Spain opened up to British tourists at the end of May, despite France and Germany unveiling tougher rules.
At the time Sanchez extended his own personal invite to holidaymakers from the UK by announcing in English that they could return with no Covid tests or vaccine requirements.
But he performed a major U-turn yesterday, with the new Spanish rules being imposed over the next 72 hours.
The Balearic islands, which include Majorca, Ibiza and Menorca, move to the UK green list tomorrow.
Portugal yesterday carried out its threat to make British travellers self-isolate for 14 days unless they are fully vaccinated.
The new rules came into effect nearly three weeks after the UK’s decision to kick the country off its green list which led to thousands of people cutting short their holidays so they could beat a new quarantine deadline.
Angela Merkel had been pushing to impose a European Union-wide quarantine on British tourists, including those who have been double-jabbed.
Portugal’s move goes part of the way to meeting the German leader’s demand. Anyone travelling to Portugal from the UK by land, sea or air will have to show they have received their second jab at least a fortnight earlier or self-isolate.
Britain joins the likes of South Africa, Brazil, India and Nepal who were already on Portugal’s quarantine list of countries.
Previously, UK visitors were exempt from quarantine if they had evidence of a recent negative coronavirus test.
Portugal’s opposition leader urged his government to “get tough” with the UK after No10 kicked his country off the green traffic light list on June 8.
Rui Rio, president of the Social Democratic Party, had criticised the decision to let “disrespectful foreigners” into Portugal.
German chancellor Merkel’s UK travel ban was being considered by the EU’s integrated political crisis response committee last night.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson will meet Merkel at Chequers on Friday, when the plan is expected to spark a furious row between them.
Elsewhere, Hong Kong has put the UK on its “very high risk” list.
It has banned arrivals from the UK unless the person is a Hong Kong resident, or a spouse or child of a resident.