Spain Relaxes Covid Travel Restrictions For UK Teenagers
The Spanish government has relaxed restrictions on travellers arriving in the country from non Schengen Zone countries who are between the ages of 12 and 17.
The measures are in response to widespread cancellations of UK family trips during the country’s school half-term break, which is believed to have caused the Spanish tourist industry millions of Euros in lost revenue.
The UK is Spain’s biggest tourist market, with some 18 million visitors in the last pre-pandemic year of 2019.
The new measures will come into force from midnight on 14 February, meaning that travellers in the age group who do not have a valid vaccination certificate only need to show a negative PCR test to enter the country – provided it is carried within 72 hours prior to arrival.
Children under the age of 12 do not need to take any PCR test.
The Spanish tourism minister Fernando Valdés told the BBC that: “”Great Britain is our main market,” and Spain is ” always very keen in easing the restrictions between both countries.”
The Spanish tourist industry represents around 14% of GDP and is continuing to recover from the catastrophic effects of the pandemic.
The announcement comes after many UK families cancelled half-term trips to Spain because of the restrictions.
UK Transport Secretary, Grant Shapps, described this as “good news” for families.
