Spain could ban Brits if coronavirus levels aren't "acceptable"

British tourists will only be allowed back into Spain if the UK's coronavirus levels are considered to be at an "acceptable" level, health chiefs have revealed.

In principle, Spain will reopen its borders to international holidaymakers from July 1st when the 14-day quarantine restriction will also be lifted.

But tourism leaders in both countries are calling for more clarification on which countries will be favoured first and whether this will apply to Britain.

Spain's director of health alerts, Fernando Simón said the Spanish Government "will take into account the incidence of the virus in the country of origin of foreign visitors" before deciding to let them back in for holidays.

He said there was "no perfect criteria"  but all the information was being looked at in order to make recommendations.

"Not only will the incidence of the disease be assessed in the market issuer but also the country's detection capabilities," he said.

Spain will look at the incidence of coronavirus in the last seven days in the country of origin of tourists who want to visit Spain,  in addition to the trend observed in the evolution of the epidemic in the previous few weeks.

"It is not an easy task," admitted Mr. Simón, who has indicated that "there is a lot of discussion" with those responsible for Foreign Health and studying all the international information available that "may come to an assessment."

The Ministry of Health in Spain says it is very aware of the risk of importing coronavirus from outside countries when the borders are reopened.

Minister of Industry, Commerce and Tourism, Reyes Maroto said the Spanish government " is committed to reopening borders to international tourism, not only by countries, but by regions with a similar epidemiological situation that allows avoiding the risks of outbreaks of the COVID-19 pandemic, because tourism needs security at the origin and in destiny."

She confirmed the Government was working with its European partners to define common rules for the reopening of borders and to regain freedom of movement within the European Union and with the Schengen area.

For this, said Reyes Maroto, it would be necessary to fulfill three requirements, the first of which is that border controls and travel restrictions must be lifted in areas that have an epidemiological situation "that evolves positively".

The second is to ensure health capacity by countries and transparency with travellers and the third is a coordinated and regional approach.

"The virus knows no borders and, therefore, it is preferable that in the areas that have undergone the same evolution of the pandemic they are treated in the same way, " she said. "Tourism needs security at origin and destination."

Spain's  Alliance for Excellence in Tourism says that in the 48 hours after Spain's Prime Minister made his "plan your summer holiday" announcement, reservations nearly quadrupled.

However, the group stressed that foreign tourists still needed to know how they could get to Spain and under what arrangements and what routes.

"Although more international demand is appearing, not all destinations are going to be favoured equally: here the position of each one will matter and also people will go where they feel most loved," said Alliance vice-president José Luis Zoreda .

The Alliance is made up of the chairmen of nearly 30 Spanish tourist groups from airlines, cruises, hotels, travel agencies, tour operators, credit cards, rent-a-car, tourist hospitals, etc.