Officials in Spain have denied suggestions that British holidaymakers will be banned from visiting the country until the end of summer 2021 amid fears over the Covid-19 pandemic.
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez had earlier said he didn't expect to be welcoming tourists until most of the population had been vaccinated against Covid-19.
The Prime Minister is said to have claimed that once 70 per cent of Spain’s population had been vaccinated, the country would “progressively” prepare to welcome international tourists.
But, Minister of Industry, Trade and Tourism, Reyes Maroto, claimed the Spanish Government was working intensely to receive international tourists as soon as possible.
She reiterated that the availability of vaccines in many countries offered hope of immunising the majority of the population so that they are in a position to travel safely.
The minister added: “Our priority in 2021 is to reactivate tourism and resume safe mobility on a global scale as soon as possible.
"We are working to adopt a common framework of a series of planned actions to give confidence to tourists. We hope that at the end of spring and especially during the summer, international travel will resume and travellers will choose Spain as their destination”
She stressed that that the virus remained a barrier to travel - but one that will not have a long-term impact for Spain as a destination.
Spain’s image has not been harmed and there is a desire from tourists to return to the destination. Spain’s image and positioning as a tourism destination are a strength of the overall Spain brand on a global scale .
General director of TURESPAÑA, Spain's tourism authority, Miguel Sanz, said Spain wanted to to be identified as a safe destination aiming to restore confidence of travellers and subsequently encourage them to book safe holidays.
