Spain’s tourism bodies urge PM to lift quarantine for international holidaymakers by mid-June to boost holiday reservations on Costa del Sol to Costa Blanca sooner

Spain’s tourism bodies have urged the Government to lift quarantine measures for international holidaymakers – in mid-June as opposed to July 1 – to help reactivate the tourism sector quicker.

MANY tourist associations believe waiting for international tourism until July will simply be just too late. In fact, several tourism bodies, particularly on the Costa del Sol, doubt that there will be hoards of international holidaymakers rushing to book their holidays to Spain right now. Luis Callejón, President of the Association of Hotel Owners on the Costa del Sol (Aehcos), says: “It’s difficult to see many tourists coming on holiday here with so many governments, including our own, encouraging nationals to holiday at home. Our petition to holidaymakers is for them to come to Spain. But we want Spaniards to holiday here this year too.” However, he doubts that hotel occupation this summer will exceed 30% mainly because of all the lockdown restrictions.

“We can’t expect tourists to enjoy a dip in the pool with masks and gloves on for 10 minutes between 2pm and 2.10pm,” Callejón pointed out. “No one is going to come if they can’t enjoy the pool, the food or the beaches.”

Manuel Villafaina, President of the Beach Business Association in Málaga agrees. “There’s no point in waiting until July 1 to lift quarantine for international tourism because the coronavirus situation in Malaga is under control and therefore it’s not necessary to have so many restrictions,” he added. “We’ve been asking the Government for weeks to lift quarantine measures so that international tourists can start planning and making their reservations to come to Spain earlier. At least that way, the sector may have a chance of recuperating some losses.”