Ibiza tourism could be possible from May with vaccine passports, Minister reveals

Ibiza tourism could be possible from May with vaccine passports, Spain’s Tourism Minister has announced.

Last month, Spanish Tourism Minister Reyes Maroto told journalists that the government planned to introduce coronavirus vaccination certificates, or “passports”, into its safe travel corridor scheme, as “an element of safe mobility”.

Now, Maroto has given more hope to tourists, revealing to Antena 3 TV that vaccine passports could be a viable option from May this year. 

The vaccine passports have already been approved for use in the Canary Islands and Balearic Islands, including Ibiza, where travel corridors were trialled last summer.

Maroto’s comments come just weeks after the Balearic government announced that, from the beginning of March, bars and restaurants in Ibiza, Formentera, Menorca and Mallorca will be able to open terraces and outdoor spaces to the public. 

Tourism is one of the most crucial industries in Spain, especially in nightclub hotspot Ibiza. Spain welcomes approximately 80 millions tourists a year, with the industry providing over 12% of the country’s GDP.

In February, Ibiza club Amnesia announced its closing party for the 2021 season, set to take place on 23rd October. Amnesia is the first Ibiza superclub to confirm that it plans to host events this year, and has opted to announce its season of parties in reverse order as a precautionary measure. The club said in an official announcement that it is “presenting the end but leaving the start open”.