Charlie Smith
HALF of Spaniards have said they will not go on holiday this year due to the coronavirus pandemic.
A new survey has also revealed that four out of ten ‘will not fly’ until a vaccine for the killer virus is developed.
Domestic spots like the Costa del Sol, where 65% of holiday homes are Spanish-owned, are therefore the most popular option.
Of the 50% of respondents who intend to take a vacation, 19% will do so in Spain, according to the EY-Parthenon study of 2,106 people.
An additional 8% who were to holiday abroad, will now also take a break domestically, while 9% still plan to travel outside Spain in 2020.
Meanwhile the research is damning for tourist spending, with 42% of those polled saying they will shell out ‘less, much less or nothing’.
However, 16% claimed they would be willing to increase their holiday budget and 38% said it would remain unchanged.
On the other hand, 70% said they would be open to spending ‘a bit more’ if they were allowed more wiggle room over cancellations and booking modifications.
The study also found that 70% of people would spend the same in cafes, bars and restaurants, with the other 30% likely to splash ‘less, much less or no cash at all’.
In terms of different regions, Galicia is the most pessimistic about holidays, with 56% there saying they will not have any kind of break this summer.
Meanwhile, Catalunya and Madrid, two of the Spanish autonomous communities hardest hit by coronavirus are the most optimistic.
Around 12% of those asked in each region, said they would travel ‘without conditions’.
It comes as the UK and Spain have both announced 14-day quarantines on foreign visitors.
This means international travellers arriving in each country would have to self-isolate for a fortnight.
