What Do The New Spanish Islands Travel Corridors Mean For UK Travelers?
Despite what you might have read about “Spanish islands travel corridors”, this, unfortunately, doesn’t mean we’ve got the green light to hop on the next flight to your favourite hotel in Tenerife.
This is because the U.K. government still advises against travel to Spain and its island archipelagos, and the country is also not on England’s travel corridor list, meaning you still have to quarantine for 14 days on return to England. However, if you do happen to need to travel to the islands, or are a U.K. citizen and need to return home to the U.K., it’s worth taking note of the new changes by the Spanish government, as first reported by El País.
In terms of arrival on the islands, nothing will change for travellers from the U.K. Under the Spanish government’s new rules, passengers arriving in the Balearic and Canary Islands from countries with fewer than 50 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 will not have to be tested on arrival. As it currently stands, the U.K. has well over 50 cases per 100,000 so if you are travelling from the U.K. you will still need to be tested on arrival.
Not only that, passengers will be required to show a negative test certificate from a test taken within 48 hours prior to the flight’s departure from the U.K.
A final important change means that passengers will have to take a mandatory test in an approved centre 48 hours prior to leaving the island. If the test is positive, travellers will be required to quarantine at their destination. All costs, including accommodation and any healthcare requirements incurred, will be covered by the Spanish government.
It’s hoped that by imposing quarantines for positive tests on departure from the islands, it may ease current quarantine restrictions in countries like the U.K. and Germany, where many of the islands’ tourists are usually from.
The new rules are to “allow us (the Spanish islands) to recover mobility and reactivate the flow of tourists”, said Reyes Maroto, Spain’s Minister of Industry, Trade and Tourism.
It’s hoped that by imposing quarantines for positive tests on departure from the islands, it may ease current quarantine restrictions in countries like the U.K. and Germany, where many of the islands’ tourists are usually from.
The new rules are to “allow us (the Spanish islands) to recover mobility and reactivate the flow of tourists”, said Reyes Maroto, Spain’s Minister of Industry, Trade and Tourism.
