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18 May, 2020 10:39

Spain may reopen borders to tourists in late June, transport minister says

Spain may reopen borders to tourists in late June, transport minister says

Spain aims to reopen borders to visitors around the end of June as its coronavirus lockdown fully winds down, Transport Minister Jose Luis Abalos said on Monday. Madrid last week surprised its EU partners by imposing a two-week quarantine on all overseas travelers and effectively keeping borders closed, Reuters said.

Spain then explained that the measures were needed to avoid importing a second wave of the Covid-19 disease. However, the move was meant to be temporary and the transport minister said it would be phased out in parallel with travel being allowed within Spain, whose regions are easing restrictions in different phases.

“As soon as we Spaniards can travel to other provinces, foreigners will be able to come to Spain,” he told broadcaster TVE. “From late June, we’ll start the tourism activity, I hope,” he said. Tourism accounts for over 12 percent of Spain’s economic output.

One of the worst-hit nations, with 27,650 deaths and 231,350 infections, Spain is slowly easing its strict lockdown, in place since mid-March.