Spain will be open to tourists by spring, tourism minister says

Spain will be open to tourists by spring, the country’s tourism minister says.

After Spain’s Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez, stated the country would remain shut to international tourists until Autumn, Reyes Maroto, the country’s tourism minister, has said in a press conference that Spain will begin to reopen in Spring.

Making the admission last Friday, 26th January, Maroto said that “our priority in 2021 is to reactivate tourism and resume safe mobility on a global scale as soon as possible,” and that a staggered reopening will take place.

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.  

Last year, Ibiza clubs Hï and Ushuaïa officially cancelled all scheduled parties for May 2020 amid the first stages of the coronavirus pandemic, before all bars and clubs were shuttered across Spain. For a recent DJ Mag feature, Anu Shukla investigated how the White Isle has adapted during the pandemic.

In December, it was also revealed that Ibiza clubs and events could use a new app called Liberty Pass to help them open in 2021, according to Spain Nightlife and International Nightlife Association secretary-general Joaquim Boadas. The app collects official information from collaborating medical centres about antigen tests, PCR tests and vaccines, when available. The app then updates with a QR code tied to an individual with a green tick if tests are negative.