After many reversals and the pressing recommendations of the European Commission, Spain will welcome European tourists from June 21, not July 1 as initially announced.
On June 21, the day the state of emergency is lifted, the country will reopen its borders with the states of the Schengen area and the European Union. With one exception: Portugal. Lisbon will wait until July 1 before restoring free movement in the Iberian Peninsula.
Tourists from other European countries concerned, including France, will be able to cross the land, sea and air borders of Spain without being subject to the fourteen-day quarantine, in force until then.
Plane, train, car ... How can the French get to Spain?
All the usual routes will be open to French and Europeans: flights, trains, road and boats. Currently, 15 airports are authorized to receive international flights: Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia , Seville , Malaga , Alicante , Bilbao , Santander , on the peninsula; Palma de Mallorca , Menorca and Ibiza , in the Balearic Islands ; Tenerife South , Gran Canaria , Lanzarote and Fuerteventura on the Canary Islands .
But on June 21, all airports will have the green light to operate normally. On arrival, the temperature of the passengers can be taken, and the authorities can ask for the address where they plan to stay. A prospect which should accelerate the recovery of tourism. Research on the comparators shows a gradual resumption of flights at the end of June as well as a return to the usual tariffs, after a surge in prices during containment.
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On the train side , the national railway company, Renfe, has been authorized for a week to market all of its seats, instead of half, as was the rule until then. For the moment, it is not possible to buy TGV tickets between the South East of France and Barcelona on the SNCF and Renfe websites until July 1, the date initially scheduled for opening of the borders. The announcement this Sunday of the advance of the opening of the borders of ten days should however push the companies to put the sale of the trips from June 21.
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Hoteliers rely heavily on local tourism by car, especially from the French from the south, who can cross the border by road. Finally, note that an exception is planned for 11,000 German tourists, who are allowed to go to the Balearic Islands as of Monday June 15 without being subject to quarantine, as part of a pilot project organized in conjunction with a tour operator.
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Wearing a mask, beach, restaurants, label ... What conditions for tourism in Spain this summer?
The opening to international tourism coincides with the end of deconfinement, also set for June 21. The country will then enter what the government calls "the new normal" . In concrete terms, almost all activities will resume normally, but wearing a mask will remain compulsory in closed public places, as well as in the open air when it is impossible to respect the minimum distance of 1.50 m. Failure to mask may result in a fine of 100 euros.
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In all public transport, including taxis , you must also wear the accessory, as well as in a private car if the passengers do not share the same accommodation. The taxi drivers, although they slowed down considerably during the confinement, never stopped working. They are therefore used to respecting precautionary measures.
The hotels , bars or restaurants will operate within the barriers gestures and distance of 1.50 m, and introducing more services to spread the influx of customers.
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On the beaches , the general rules applicable to the public space must be respected, and the municipalities can introduce their own standards in addition. Some have chosen to criss-cross the space so that each family or each group of "bronzers" is properly separated from the others.
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A national “Safe Tourism Certified” label has been validated by the Ministry of Health. The establishments which will display the sticker have had to demonstrate that they respect protocols designed for one of the 21 branches of tourism supervised by a national organization, the Institute for Spanish Tourist Quality (ICTE).
The museums are allowed to open but must adapt visits to avoid too many groups. Each establishment having made its own decisions and the simplest is to consult the website of each one, to find out about openings and book its tickets.
The three main museums in Madrid (Prado, Reina Sofía and Thyssen) opened at the same time on June 6. The Prado has in particular concentrated its masterpieces for an exceptional exhibition called "Homecoming" widely hailed by critics and the public, and which will last all summer.
In Barcelona, the Sagrada Familia only opens its doors to residents of Barcelona until further notice, and only on weekends. The emblematic houses built by Gaudi will be accessible to all during the summer.
What tourist influx is expected this summer?
Tourism professionals are generally very motivated by the prospect of visitors returning, even if some are pessimistic about the levels of occupancy of their hotels. In Barcelona, for example, the manager of a hotel chain expects 10 to 15% occupancy, while these figures usually exceed 80% all summer.
The opportunity for visitors to visit Spanish cities in unprecedented conditions of tranquility.
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