Spain boost for Irish tourists as plans emerge to allow people back from May
Irish sun seekers have been given a major boost as it has emerged that Spain could be set to introduce 'vaccine passports'.
The popular holiday spot of many Irish people each year is hoping to rebuild its tourism sector which has suffered massively throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.
The country's tourism minister Reyes Maroto said that they are considering introducing a digital vaccine passport for holidaymakers wishing to travel there from as early as May.
Ms Maroto told Antena 3 TV: “We could be in a position to start implementing the digital passport.”
She told the TV station that ministers are planning to have the digital scheme ready for Madrid's international tourism fair, FITUR, on May 19.
The tourism minister said the rollout of the digital passport scheme will depend on how many people have been vaccinated in Spain and the level of infection rates.
Spain's Secretary of State for Tourism, Fernando Valdes, said that if the vaccine passport scheme doesn't go ahead that Spain is willing to consider bilateral agreements and corridors 'with third countries'.
Fernando Valdes said: “The way to allow travel in Europe must be decided at the level of the European Union but if those decisions cannot be taken, we will think of other solutions such as corridors, green corridors with third countries that can help us to restart tourist flows."
Meanwhile Greece's Minister of Tourism Harry Theoharis said at a travel conference that the country intends to welcome back tourists from May 14, without needing to show any proof of a Covid-19 vaccine to enter.
A negative Covid-19 test, taken before travelling, will be needed to visit Greece and tourists could be subject to random Covid testing.
The news comes as Ireland is set to introduce mandatory quarantine now be required for people travelling to Ireland from 33 countries. These countries have had serious outbreaks of COVID.
They will still have to quarantine if they travel through a port or airport in a designated country, even if they stay there in the 14 days prior to their arrival in Ireland.
The country's tourism minister Reyes Maroto said that they are considering introducing a digital vaccine passport for holidaymakers wishing to travel there from as early as May.
Ms Maroto told Antena 3 TV: “We could be in a position to start implementing the digital passport.”
She told the TV station that ministers are planning to have the digital scheme ready for Madrid's international tourism fair, FITUR, on May 19.
The tourism minister said the rollout of the digital passport scheme will depend on how many people have been vaccinated in Spain and the level of infection rates.
Spain's Secretary of State for Tourism, Fernando Valdes, said that if the vaccine passport scheme doesn't go ahead that Spain is willing to consider bilateral agreements and corridors 'with third countries'.
Fernando Valdes said: “The way to allow travel in Europe must be decided at the level of the European Union but if those decisions cannot be taken, we will think of other solutions such as corridors, green corridors with third countries that can help us to restart tourist flows."
Meanwhile Greece's Minister of Tourism Harry Theoharis said at a travel conference that the country intends to welcome back tourists from May 14, without needing to show any proof of a Covid-19 vaccine to enter.
A negative Covid-19 test, taken before travelling, will be needed to visit Greece and tourists could be subject to random Covid testing.
The news comes as Ireland is set to introduce mandatory quarantine now be required for people travelling to Ireland from 33 countries. These countries have had serious outbreaks of COVID.
They will still have to quarantine if they travel through a port or airport in a designated country, even if they stay there in the 14 days prior to their arrival in Ireland.
