Healthplan Spain

HEALTHPLAN MAGAZINE

Ibiza beach Spain Will Allow Entry To UK Tourists From Monday With No Quarantine Spain News

Spain is set to welcome back British holidaymakers from Monday, officials have confirmed.

The Spanish government has today (Friday 21 May), announced in the official state bulletin, that Spain is to follow Portugal’s lead and allow UK tourists to visit the country without self-isolation.

British holidaymakers have been flying out to Portugal since Monday, the day borders to UK holidaymakers were reopened and next week thousands are expected to flock to Spain, to once again enjoy one of the UK’s favourite holiday destinations.

All of this is positive news, however, it is still not clear if tourists will have to provide proof that they have been vaccinated or whether they have received a negative Covid test.

The Spanish Interior Ministry announcement confirming the move to put the UK on Spain’s non-EU exemption list, which also applies to Japan, said "At present, the European Union is debating a modification of the recommendation on a temporary restriction of non-essential journeys from outside the EU.

"It’s foreseeable that Japan and the UK will be included in the list of countries exempted.

"Several EU states have already put those two countries in that privileged position.

"Spain receives each year a number of visitors from the UK which is especially relevant in relative and absolute terms and many economic sectors need to adapt their capacity in anticipation of border changes.

"In light of all this, and after consulting with other government departments which are affected, order INT/657/2020 dated July 17 is modified to include Japan and the UK on the exempted list.

"The modification will take effect from midnight on May 24."

Antonio Mayor, The President of the Benidorm, Costa Blanca and Valencia Region Hotel Association Hosbec, welcomed the Spanish government's news, saying "This is great. Everything that means opening borders and trying to normalise mobility is good news.

"We are delighted with the announcement.

"The important thing now is that the UK puts us on green light status.

"We expect many British tourists will now come to Spain but green light status would encourage even more."

Spanish officials have urged all sectors to begin preparation for the changes that will soon take effect at the borders.

Japan was also added to Spain’s list today, joining Australia, China, Hong Kong, Israel, Macau, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Rwanda, Singapore, South Korea and Thailand.

Even though this is good news for many, it is important to remember that Spain is still currently on the UK’s 'amber' travel list, which means that anyone returning from Spain will need to self-isolate for up to 10 days and take two Covid tests during that time.

However, Spanish officials are hoping that their latest move will encourage the British government to add them to the handful of destinations that are on the UK’s coveted ‘green list’.

Under the latest Covid rules, holidaymakers can currently only travel to a select number of 'green' countries without having to quarantine.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said earlier this week that even though it is legal, people should not be visiting 'amber' countries.

He spoke out after George Eustice, the Environment Secretary, said that people could travel to such countries to visit friends and family, as long as they observed the rules on their return to the UK.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock also later said at a Downing Street press conference: "We have been absolutely crystal clear that you should not go to an amber or red list country on holiday, you should only go in exceptional circumstances."

The UK government has said that they will review the travel lists every three weeks, this means that the earliest date at which a country could switch categories will be June 7.

Source
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/spain-allows-uk-tourists-next-24154054
https://metro.co.uk/2021/05/21/spain-travel-uk-tourists-allowed-to-enter-without-quarantine-from-monday-14620276/