Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
National
Cormac O'Shea

Travel expert says Portugal and Spain are open to tourists but Irish holidaymakers face one big issue

Both Portugal and Spain are now open to tourists from across Europe but Irish people face issues if hoping to head there today.

Travel expert Eoghan Corry has said that provided you can get a PCR test or are vaccinated, there are no problems getting into the holiday hotspots.

But instead, Ireland's travel rules are the only thing stopping sunseekers, the expert said..

The editor of Air and Travel Magazine told Newstalk Breakfast: “If you were to count all the holidays we take… 70% of those end up in Portugal or Spain. Portugal has been open since May, and Spain opens this morning(Monday).

"The issue still is on our side: non-essential travel is not advised.”

He added: "The tragedy is we are such an aviation nation… and we’re an island economy..

“But I’m pretty sure from the mood music… we’re going to be dragging our heels a little bit. Even July 19th… they’ll be looking for excuses to pull back on that. That’s our experience since the start of this crisis."

Spain majorly reopened to tourists on Monday but travellers will need to either be fully vaccinated and be able to provide proof, have a negative PCR test within 48 hours of arrival in Spain or a certificate of recovery if the person has had Covid-19.

A spokesperson for the Spanish tourism sector said: “The improvement of the epidemiological situation in Spain and the developing progress in the vaccination roll-out, both in Spain and in many countries around the world, make it possible to ease the measures for entry into Spain for tourist purposes.

“The new regulations, described in this document, will come into force on 7 June."

Share your views on masks by taking our short survey here or below:

The main new features are: the acceptance of EU-approved rapid antigen tests and vaccination and recovery certificates for travellers from the European Union and European Economic Area countries, as well as the opening to tourists from non-EU countries with vaccination certificates.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.