Spanish tourism minister says UK must ‘improve’ its Covid record before Brits will be allowed in 

Brits’ hopes of holidaying abroad have been dashed as Spain’s tourism minister says the UK must ‘improve’ its situation with coronavirus before tourists are allowed back. 

Maria Reyes Maroto said British tourists will not be among those participating in a proposed trial-run for allowing tourists back into the country. 

The first tourism test-run is due to take place in two weeks, ahead of the reopening of Spanish borders to holidaymakers from July 1.

Instead, she said tourists from Germany and the Nordic countries were the most likely to be permitted entry for the trial. 

Brits hopes of travelling to Spain for a holiday have been dashed as the Spanish tourism minister said the UK must improve its UK record

Maria Reyes Maroto said the Spanishand regional  governments had been in talks with holiday providers TUI and Jet2holidays

Maria Reyes Maroto said the Spanishand regional  governments had been in talks with holiday providers TUI and Jet2holidays

The tourism minister said the Spanish and regional government were in talks with holiday providers TUI and Jet2holidays about the prospect of Brits returning to the country. 

The Mirror reported she told Spanish media the likelihood of holidaymakers from the UK being the first to visit Spain were slim: ‘There the health situation still has to improve. 

‘For us it is important to guarantee that people arrive healthy and leave healthy.’

The suggestion of a ‘test-run’ for the return of tourists to the county is yet to be approved by the government but if it does get the go-ahead Mrs Reyes Maroto said Germany and the Nordic countries were most likely to be first because their ‘epidemiological situations are very good.’ 

Mrs Reyes Maroto said Germany and the Nordic countries were most likely to be the first to return as beaches in usually bustling tourist towns such as Menorca (pictured) are left emptier than usual

Mrs Reyes Maroto said Germany and the Nordic countries were most likely to be the first to return as beaches in usually bustling tourist towns such as Menorca (pictured) are left emptier than usual

The regional government in the Balearic Islands has been pressing for the trial-run return of tourists, with plans to commence the first entry from June 16. 

In its plans it has been campaigning for Madrid to allow 3,000 German holidaymakers to visit the islands.  

Disco INFERNAL! Spanish nightclub bosses in holiday hotspots are furious after government says they CANNOT open along with bars, restaurants and cafés in next lockdown-easing phase 

Nightclubs and discos across Spain have been told they can’t open yet as the Spanish government does a U-turn on its easing of lockdown plan.

Owners have likened the change of heart to ‘having a jug of water thrown over us’ as they will have to wait anything up to one month to reopen their doors. 

Nighlife Spain published extensive guidelines on how clubs and discos, especially in holiday hotspots, could deal with the crowds in a post-coronavirus era. 

The Spanish government made a U-turn on its decision to allow clubs to reopen in phase three of easing lockdown rules

The Spanish government made a U-turn on its decision to allow clubs to reopen in phase three of easing lockdown rules

The guidance included clubbers dancing in their own squares, the compulsory wearing of masks, drinking through ecological straws and ‘traffic lights’ to control entrances. 

As many regions in the country head into phase three of easing restrictions the Spanish government had previously said clubs could open provided there were limits on capacity. 

But the decision was reversed yesterday even though cafes, pubs and restaurants are now open.    

Nighlife Spain has voiced its ‘incomprehension and perplexity’ at the decision and has demanded direct talks with the Ministry of Health. 

They want to get a new agreement before the majority of the country enters phase three from June 8th. 

The Spanish government hasn’t explained why clubs and discos must remain closed at the moment but not all of Spain’s nightlife disagrees with the decision. 

The Balearics asked to enter phase three without opening clubs as the islands’ government did not think it was ready to do so because of the risk to health. 

Places allowed to open with restrictions as Spain enters phase three: 

  • Bingo halls
  • Museums 
  • Zoos
  • Aquariums 
  • Nature tourism
  • Sports 
  •  Wakes
  • Burials
  • Shopping centres
  • Markets 

Also included in the proposed test-run are the Canary Islands and Mrs Reyes Maroto also has plans to incorporate areas such as Costa Blanca and Costa del Sol if the regional governments wish to be involved. 

Restrictions in Benidorm and Marbella are expected to be reduced tomorrow with the prospect of reopening beaches. 

However, Benidorm mayor Toni Perez made the decision to keep beaches closed until mid-June. 

The Balearic government has outlined a number of measures in it’s pilot ‘action plan’ for reopening to tourists as it hopes to be one of the first regions in Spain to receive holidaymakers. 

The first tourists to arrive in Mallorca will undergo PCR coronavirus tests at the airport and then remain isolated for six hours in their hotels to await the results. 

It is planned to test-drive the new procedures in mid-June if permission is given to bring up to 5,000 Germans to Mallorca as a prelude to the opening of international borders and the scrapping of Spain’s 14-day quarantine rule from July 1st. 

According to reports in the island’s press, the go-ahead has already been given by both the Ministry of Tourism and Ministry of Transport but approval is still pending from the Ministeries of Labour and Health. 

The Balearics, which include Mallorca, Menorca and Ibiza, have a low incidence of coronavirus deaths at 224 since the outbreak of the crisis and just over 2,000 infections. 

As a result, the local government wants the islands to be treated as one of the world leaders in dealing with the aftermath of COVID-19 and how to cope with international tourism again in the safest way possible. 

‘The pilot plan aims to demonstrate that it is possible to allow the subsequent entry of tourists without risk into the islands from July 1st, the date on which the summer season is to start more generally, hence the inclusion of tests for detection of the disease on arrival at the islands,’ says Diario de Mallorca. 

Four hotels in Mallorca have offered to take the German visitors from June 16 to 30. Two of them are in Platja de Palma and two in Alcúdia. It is hoped to have another one Menorca, another in Ibiza and a third in Formentera. 

The experiment will also test all the coronavirus protocols, from arriving at the airport, transfers to hotels, the accommodation itself, arrangements around the swimming pools, use of the facilities, trips out and their eventual return.

President of the Hotel Federation of Mallorca, María Frontera said the pilot test was essential to demonstrate that the Balearic Islands are a safe destination. 

It is hoped it will help pave the way for other international tourists, including from Britain when travel is allowed. 

It is hoped it will help pave the way for other international tourists, including from Britain when travel is allowed.

This comes after Spanish PM Pedro Sanchez put the UK at the top of his list of target countries in talks aimed at reaching bilateral ‘safe corridor’ swaps.

Spain has quarantined all international arrivals for 14 days since May 14 but recently announced that the country would open for tourism from July 1.

The first tourists to arrive in Mallorca will undergo PCR coronavirus tests at the airport and then remain isolated for six hours in their hotels to await the results. Pictured: A passenger arriving in Adolfo Suarez Madrid-Barajas Airport last week

The first tourists to arrive in Mallorca will undergo PCR coronavirus tests at the airport and then remain isolated for six hours in their hotels to await the results. Pictured: A passenger arriving in Adolfo Suarez Madrid-Barajas Airport last week

People sunbathe and children play in the water in Mallorca, Spain, as the country partially eases lockdown restrictions 

There has been debate over whether Britons should be allowed to holiday in Spain after the Home Secretary Priti Patel’s announcements that anyone who arrives into the UK after June 8, including returning Britons, will have to self-isolate for 14 days or face fines of £1,000.

The travel industry also lambasted the rules, labelling them as ‘ineffective and unenforceable’ given that those travelling to the UK from Ireland were exempt from the rules.

It means flyers can first travel into Dublin and then either jet into the UK or get a bus across the border with Northern Ireland, avoiding the self-isolating rules.

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