Date Published: 03/02/2021
ARCHIVED - Spanish government pours cold water on hopes for a reactivation of tourism at Easter
ARCHIVED ARTICLE
Minister for Tourism under fire after suggesting that travel restrictions may be relaxed for Semana Santa
Spain is still suffering the dramatic third wave of coronavirus infection which can be largely attributed to the relaxation of restrictions on travel and social gatherings over the Christmas and New Year holidays, but already hopes are being raised in some quarters that by Easter, which falls in late March this year, it may be possible to travel within the country with some degree of freedom.
With the current 14-day Covid incidence rate more than three times the threshold over which the situation is considered to be of “extreme risk” and the daily death toll on Tuesday having risen to the highest since the peak of the first wave of contagion last spring, the overriding view is that it is far from prudent to even consider relaxing travel restrictions at the moment. However, on Saturday Reyes Maroto, the Minister for Industry and Tourism, hinted that by Easter this may be possible in a comment which has since attracted widespread comment, most of it critical.
In fact, even her colleague, Government spokesperson María Jesús Montero spoke out on Tuesday to clarify that she believes it is “difficult” to imagine that normal and free movement will be permitted in just a few weeks’ time. International tourism in Spain is bound to be either minimal or non-existent at Easter, and in this context it seems likely that domestic tourism will also remain on hold awaiting an improvement in the pandemic situation.
Aside from Sra Montero’s comments, leading opposition politicians have been openly critical of Sra Maroto. Ximo Puig, the president of the regional government in the Comunidad Valenciana, has stated that “saving” Semana Santa should not be considered a priority – the traditional processions have already been cancelled well in advance - and that it is misleading for a government minister to raise “false hopes”, while PP party spokesman Cuca Gamarra also used the phrase “false expectations”.
In short, and in spite of the comments made by the Minister for Industry and Tourism, the odds on tourism being even partially reactivated in time for Easter seem to be very long indeed. The official government line is that at the moment the matter is not even being discussed, and María Jesús Montero clarifies that air travel will definitely still be limited and that the policy regarding inter-regional travel in Spain will depend not on the date of Easter but on the epidemiological situation.
The government’s priority, she says, is to save lives, adding that “without health there will be no possibility of economic recovery”.