Alex Trelinski
HOTELIERS with swathes of empty rooms are calling on the Valencian Government to allow people from around Spain to come into the area for Easter.
Just 20% of Costa Blanca hotels are still open with an estimated occupancy rate of 10%.
The Benidorm-based Hosbec association wants the government to loosen its closed border rules that were imposed at the end of October.
The association plan would see anybody making a booking get an approved document that gives authority for people with a reservation to come into the region.
Hosbec will formally present its proposal to the Valencian Government tomorrow(February 24) as the region starts to loosen its restrictions from next week.
That nevertheless is unlikely to include any imminent reopening of the regional border, with president Ximo Puig suggesting that the closure will be maintained during the Easter period due to the large influx of visitors from across the country.
A significant proportion come from areas like Madrid and northern Spain who have holiday homes around the Costa Blanca.
Hosbec general secretary, Nuria Montes, said: “Our de-escalation plan for tourist accommodation needs to start as soon as possible which involves introducing a confirmed and verifiable hotel reservation.”
“A certificate would be available 24 hours before the start of a reservation to stop people showing an internet booking to the police which they would cancel once they are in the region.”
Montes added that those hotels that have remained open since last summer have shown themselves to be safe and have fulfilled all COVID guidelines, with no infection outbreaks.
“De-escalating the sector would not cause any health risk and it would be possible to contact trace all of our guests,” she added.
Hosbec also believes that the Valencian Community will lose out over Easter hotel bookings compared to other parts of Spain that are more advanced in reopening tourism.
