Spain covid travel restrictions: Plan to open to unvaccinated British visitors reversed

In an remarkable reversal of an earlier announcement, the Spanish vacationer board in London has withdrawn the promise of opening up to unvaccinated British website visitors.

On Wednesday the vacationer board stated Spain experienced opened up to all United kingdom travellers with quick outcome, expressing unjabbed guests would be able to enter with a detrimental pre-departure exam.

But eight hours afterwards travellers have been informed this was incorrect, and that the announcement resulted from an mistake of interpretation of the formal condition bulletin.

United kingdom travellers aged 12 and above are nonetheless necessary to present proof of staying completely vaccinated or a certification of recovery (dated no a lot more than 180 times previously).

Pedro Medina, deputy director of the Spanish vacationer business office in the British isles stated: “We apologise unreservedly for the miscommunication before today which was due to a misunderstanding of the new entry specifications.”

The only exception is for those people aged 12 to 17 (inclusive) who can exhibit a unfavorable Covid test (PCR or related) taken inside of the 72 hours prior to arriving in Spain.

Hear to Simon Calder’s most current journey podcast about the Spain regulations U-turn.

For vaccinated travellers, the Spanish tourist place of work reported “If extra than 270 times have passed due to the fact the ultimate dose, certification of a booster vaccination is also necessary, apart from for teens aged 12 to 17 inclusive.”

A single fewer important adjust has been verified: youngsters underneath 12 and people travelling to Spain with an NHS Covid travel go no lengthier need to full Spain’s wellness manage sort prior to arrival.

To get gain of the “previous infection” solution, the traveller should have a recovery certificate “issued by the official authorities”. The take a look at ought to have been “carried out by qualified personnel” – so a self-examination consequence will not be legitimate. Official certificates are regarded as being valid for 11 to 180 days after the first optimistic diagnostic exam consequence.

Spain is the most popular place for British travellers. In 2019, the country welcomed 18.1 million site visitors from the United kingdom – an normal of 50,000 arrivals for each working day.

Traveller numbers collapsed through the coronavirus pandemic. At the commence of 2022, Spain was imposing tricky requirements – insisting all arrivals aged 12 or around were fully vaccinated.

For hundreds of British households, that rendered February fifty percent-term holidays unachievable.

Julia Lo Bue-Mentioned, main executive of the Advantage Travel Partnership, described the Spanish reversal as a “spectacular blunder”.

It is not clear what perspective airlines and vacation businesses will acquire to unvaccinated people who booked trips to Spain in mild of the mistaken announcement.

The Impartial has questioned British Airways, easyJet, Jet2, Ryanair and Tui no matter if they will let shoppers to cancel or transform their bookings.

Previous 7 days France – the next-most well-known country for British holidaymakers – opened to unvaccinated Uk site visitors.