Costa del Sol here we come? Spanish minister says Britons COULD go on holiday there this summer with ‘vaccine passports’ and they WON’T have to quarantine
- Tourism minister fuels hopes Brits could go on holiday with ‘vaccine passports’
- Fernando Valdes said the prospects are still ‘open’ as jab rollout surges ahead
- He played down the idea that holidaymakers will have to quarantine on arrival
Spain’s tourism minister has fuelled hopes Britons could go on holiday this summer with ‘vaccine passports’.
Fernando Valdes has reportedly raised the prospect that travel could resume within months due to the success of the UK’s rollout.
He also played down the idea that holidaymakers would have to quarantine when they arrived in Spain, saying there are ‘other means’ of limiting spread.
The optimistic comments emerged as the government steps up work on a system of ‘vaccine passports’ that could free those who have had jabs from the draconian restrictions on travel.
UK ministers have refused to be drawn on when holidays might be back on the agenda, amid mixed messages on whether anyone should be looking to book at this stage.
Spain’s tourism minister has fuelled hopes Britons could go on holiday this summer with ‘vaccine passports’. Pictured, Playa de Alcudia beach in Mallorca
But they have confirmed that efforts are being made to put the technology and paperwork in place.
Greece has already suggested it would be open to using documentation showing that people have had jabs, and according to the Sun on Sunday Mr Valdes said: ‘The UK is among the countries with the highest vaccination rates in the world.
‘In Spain, we aim to have at least 70 per cent of the adult population immune by summer so I’d say to British people, ‘Keep open your expectations regarding holidays in Spain. We’re looking forward to welcoming you again’.’
Mr Valdes confirmed that a ‘vaccine passport or similar documentation’ would be part of the strategy to help travellers ‘regain flexibility’, along with face masks and social distancing.
He said: ‘We are defending this approach in the European Union and the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development). We’d like to coordinate these works with the British government.’
Mr Valdes said Spain was not planning to have any quarantine period for such people – which could potentially wreck any hopes of week or fortnight long holidays.
‘We have other means beyond vaccines to control the transmission such as test before travel, facial masks, social distancing,’ he said.
‘We’re going to keep all these measures as long as necessary to let tourism recover gradually and as the pandemic evolves.
‘New vaccines approved will give us the necessary impulse to achieve our plan.’
Boris Johnson has warned it is ‘too early’ to say whether holidays will be possible this summer as the UK’s vaccination drive continues