Spain will reopen to foreign tourists from July, as unemployment rises

Spain will reopen to overseas tourists from July, the country’s prime minister has announced, pledging that the government will guarantee the safety of visitors and locals as the country emerges from one of Europe’s strictest coronavirus lockdowns.

Prime minister Pedro Sanchez said a €3bn (£2.7bn) minimum basic income scheme to help families, most affected by the pandemic, would come into effect in the next few weeks.

Sánchez said: “As you know, Spain receives more than 80 million visitors a year. I am announcing that from July, Spain will reopen for foreign tourism in conditions of safety. Foreign tourists can start planning their holidays in our country. Spain needs tourism, and tourism needs safety in both origin and destination. We will guarantee that tourists will not run any risks, nor will they bring any risk to our country.”

He said the central and regional governments had been planning and coordinating the return to tourism for weeks. “We’re sending everyone a message today: Spain will be waiting for you from July,” he said.

He called on Spaniards to begin planning domestic holidays, and he also announced that football leagues would be allowed to resume from June 8.

According to a report in The Guardian, 28,628 people in Spain have died of coronavirus and 234,824 have been infected till Saturday. The health crisis has also made socioeconomic problems worse. Unemployment rose by 300,000 in March and almost 283,000 in April.