The risk of pilot schemes

Spain’s tourism minister has given further hope to British holidaymakers by announcing the creation of a pilot programme to test vaccine passports - but after so much hot air and Spain struggling with its vaccination roll out, like the rest of the EU, could it still be wishful thinking?

Maria Reyes Maroto has said “We want to be pioneers and we are the most active champions of digital vaccine passports to facilitate international mobility.”
Fine, but safety and consumer confidence has to come first. Foreign tourists will not be the slightest bit interested if Spain wants to become yet another pioneer, they will want health security.

The minister has been busy referring to last year’s pilot scheme in the Balearics involving thousands of German tourists who were allowed into the islands a week before Spain officially re-opened its borders to foreign holidaymakers following a three-month shutdown and remember what happened, the number of cases spiked. Some pointed the finger and domestic tourism, other foreign.

This is not about attributing blame, it’s about getting it right and continuing to save people’ s lives. Rushing travel is not the safe answer.