Laurence Dollimore
GERMANY is lifting its advice against travel throughout Europe from June 15.
However Foreign Minister Heiko Maas announced today that the country’s warning against holidaying abroad will continue to apply to Spain and Norway.
This is mostly because both countries are not allowing international tourists to arrive until after that date.
In Spain, July 1 has been earmarked as the return of foreign visitors, although some regions such as the Balearics are working to bring that date forward.
Maas assured, however, that as soon as restrictions are lifted in Spain, Germany will follow suit.
But tourism bosses in Spain fear there is still a lack of planning to prepare for the reopening of the vital industry.
“It is quite worrying that today we do not know under what conditions foreign tourist will arrive,” Exceltur Vice President Jose Luis Zoreda told Diario Sur, insisting that a ‘plan b’ needs to be prepared so that tourists and operators know how they will get to the country at least two weeks before the July 1 date.
“Such logistics do not create themselves,” he said.
Germany still advising against travel to Spain could hurt the country’s recovery given that it is the second-biggest market after the Brits – who are in a far worse epidemiological situation.
Rather than wait for confirmation that they can travel to Spain from July 1, it could encourage Germans to seek out other destinations such as Greece.
The Balearic Islands are hoping to combat this by working on a plan to welcome international tourists – mostly German – from June 21.
Tourism on the islands, which includes Ibiza, accounts for 35% of its GDP.
And during the three crucial summer months, foreign visitors account for 90% of all tourism income.
