STRICT quarantine rules on tourists visiting Spain will be lifted in July.
During the coronavirus lockdown, all international travellers arriving in the country have been ordered to self-isolate for 14 days.
But in a bid to save the nation’s vital tourism industry, Minister for the Exterior, Arancha González Laya has confirmed on Twitter that the rule will change in time for the summer.
She posted: “The worst is behind us. In JULY we will:
- gradually open to international tourists
- lift the quarantine
- ensure the highest standards of health safety
We look forward 2 welcoming you!”
Although her message does not give a specific date, tourism bosses have taken it to mean that the restrictions will end from July 1.
The tweet backs up a statement from Spain’s tourism minister, Reyes Maroto, who told a radio interviewer that people should plan for holidays in July.
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has also told hospitality industry leaders to prepare for the arrival of visitors, saying: “There will be a tourist season this summer.”
The announcement came just a few hours after Juanma Moreno, leader of the Andalucian regional government, branded the quarantine period “a nonsense.”