Spain plans to lift its requirement for Britons to present a negative coronavirus PCR test upon arrival from May 20, provided that the infection rate in Britain keeps declining, the Spanish tourism minister said.
"It will allow the opening of the British market so they can come to Spain," Reyes Maroto told reporters after a weekly cabinet meeting, offering a glimmer of hope to the flagging tourism sector.
Plans to lift the PCR requirement form part of a broader revision of EU regulations on non-essential travel from outside the bloc, which Maroto expected to be approved by May 20.
"They (Britons) could come from May 20 onwards without a PCR if the incidence rates are below the range currently under review, which is around 50 cases per 100,000 people, Maroto said.
She also stressed that Spain must bring down its own infection rate to encourage the British government to lift restrictions on returning travellers.
Britain will allow international travel to resume from May 17 after months of banning most trips abroad, but Spain is not included in its so-called "green list" of safe destinations.
That means Britons returning from a trip to Spain would have to self-isolate on arrival for 10 days and take two COVID-19 tests.
"We know what we have to do to allow British people to travel to Spain, which is to lower the cumulative incidence and keep on vaccinating," Maroto said.
More than 18 million British tourists travelled to Spain in 2019, making up the biggest group of foreign visitors. But that fell to just 3.2 million in 2020, a year in which international tourism to the country slumped 80% amid a succession of restrictions on travel.
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I wondered if someone could give me an opinion on whether direct flights from Jersey Channel Islands will be allowed to operate to Mallorca. Flights for the 22nd and 29th have now been cancelled and we are booked to fly on the 5th June which the local operator has not as yet cancelled? Any words of wisdom?
So many self entitled simpletons who don't yet understand that there is more chance of catching thrombosis from Covid than from the vaccine for it - must be the Social media mentality generation I suppose.
So many retards taking the vaccine in these comments, boomer expats I guess.
Steve Of course I now this. I am sure James knows it too. My rhetorical question has completely escaped you hasn't it?
Given that Spain has now exited it's State of Emergency and given what we saw of people's behaviour immediately afterwards, I think it's pretty clear our rates are going to start going up again.... The UK govt are not going to put Spain on the green list any time soon. What the Spanish or Baleraric governments want to do is largely irrelevant.
will Ryanair still need a PCR to fly when Spain says we do not need one
To all the people that have bought the fear propaganda and are that scared of this flu virus. Stay at home lock your doors seal or your windows with gaffe tape. But let the rest of us function and start getting the economy back up and running. We have to start living with this.
@jen and James w. The answer to your questions is that the virus can be carried by anybody, vaccinated oor otherwise. Having a test shows whether you're carrying it or not, and the vast majority of people here are not vaccinated. Did you really not know this ?
"I am not prepared to risk one life" our glorious leader uttered some time ago. Surely, as more recently, she will be given the power to decide which route mallorca takes. Will she protect mallorquians or the hoteliers? As if we don't know the answer to that!
@ JACQUELINE CAROL NEAL. I couldn't AGREE more WITH what you are SAYING. I too HAVE A random KEYBOARD that capitalises WORDS for NO reason WHATSOEVER..