Spain welcomes vaccinated tourists

Spain is reopening its borders to vaccinated international travellers today, hoping to revive its tourism sector which has struggled severely during the pandemic. It will also allow cruise ships into its ports from today.

The country’s health minister, Carolina Daria, said Spain was “in the process of reclaiming its global leadership in tourism”.

“Spain is a safe destination,” she said.

Previously Spain allowed European visitors who have a negative PCR test taken within the previous 72 hours, but from today those visitors can take a cheaper antigen test.

The three biggest tourist contingents to Spain after from the UK, France and Germany, but in a potential blow to the reopening the British government has not yet removed Spain from its list of at-risk countries, meaning any holidayers will have to quarantine when they get home.

Spain’s Malaga airport is expecting about 20 different flights on Monday morning alone, from places around Europe such as Berlin, Lille, Frankfurt and London.

Photo: People maintain a safe social distance as they take a walk on Malvarrosa beach in Valencia, eastern Spain. EPA-EFE/KAI FORSTERLING