Walter Finch
Brits planning a trip to Spain are being advised to check rapidly changing entry requirements being thrown up by Spanish authorities.
Various restrictions and new costs are constantly being imposed on visitors with little warning, the British government has told its citizens in its latest travel advice to Spain and other countries around Europe.
The warning comes after the Spanish tourism industry woke up to the danger to their competitiveness posed by the EU’s upcoming ETIAS tourist tax.
“Before you travel, check the ‘Entry requirements’ section for Spain’s current entry restrictions and requirements,” the latest travel advice on the British government website reads.
“These may change with little warning. Monitor this advice for the latest updates and stay in contact with your travel provider.”
Destinations in Spain have said they will limit visitor numbers, while those planning to visit Germany are advised to monitor the latest guidance on the Interior Ministry’s website.
Barcelona, which has long experienced an overload of tourists, has introduced measures to control large tour groups, including noise restrictions and one-way systems.
Similarly, Germany’s Lufthansa has cut 34,000 flights from its summer schedule, and popular tourist destinations in Spain will limit visitor numbers.
Barcelona’s mayor is reducing cruise ships, hotel beds and hostels, while Portugal is cracking down on the number of Airbnbs, except for rural zones.
Meanwhile, the EU is gearing up to impose a fresh tourist tax on Brits and other non-EU countries, knowns as the ETIAS, which will cost visitors €7.
The Covid-19 pandemic has transformed the tourism industry worldwide as locals are less willing to tolerate hordes of tourists.
The measures implemented range from the reduction of hotel beds and hostels, the restriction of the number of Airbnbs in several cities, and noise restrictions to a one-way system for tours in several centres across cities.
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- Spain wakes up to threat the EU’s new ETIAS tourist tax poses to its British tourism
