Alex Trelinski
SPAIN’S Valencian Community has asked Britain to exempt holidaymakers from the Costa Blanca from a 14 day quarantine when they fly back to the UK.
Valencian president, Ximo Puig, says that the surprise move announced in London on Saturday evening, would have a major impact on local tourism, which has suffered from a truncated season due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Puig speaking yesterday(July 26) said:- “The decision just doesn’t match up with all of the figures that we have on the local spread of the virus and our infection rates are lower than those in Britain.”
He added that he had spoken to the UK Ambassador to Spain, Hugh Elliot, to express his “major concern” and had also made contact with the Tourism ministry in Madrid.
The Costa Blanca Hotels Association(Hosbec) described the news as a blow for Benidorm, which is the major British tourist destination in the region.
Hosbec president, Toni Mayor warned: “UK visitors account for some 40 per cent of our market and serious damage will now be done to the tourism industry because of this move”.
Valencia´s tourism head, Francesc Colomer, added that the quarantine came at a time when a minor recovery was taking place in the local holiday sector after it was shut down for almost four months due to emergency restrictions to curb the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The timing could not be worse as the British market is fundamental for the Valencian Community. No other area of Spain provides better health checks than this region,” Colomer claimed.
