Spain to open tourism, but only for 'Covid passport' holders

Madrid, Spain

As Spain suffered heavily due to the coronavirus pandemic, it's been a very hard year for the tourism industry.

However, the country has now decided to reopen its beautiful scenery for travellers from all around the world, but with a twist.

Spain has decided to reopen its borders for travellers and holidaymakers from June but only if the incoming travellers can show their certification with the Covid certificate — the new digital health certificate scheme.

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Fernando Valdés, country's secretary of state for tourism said that people who can show proof that they have been vaccinated or tested negative, or have recovered from the virus recently will be "fundamental to offering travellers certainty", he announced in the World Travel & Tourism Council summit in Mexico on Tuesday.

The country will be participating in the pilot digital scheme in May and is hoping to be ready to open borders to visitors by June.

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While he admitted that the new scheme can help draw a parallel of 'before and after' in Spain, with regard to the coronavirus pandemic, he also stressed that the certificates were "not a magic wand".

The news has been welcomed by locals, to a certain extent, as the country depends largely on tourism and the coronavirus pandemic has sent Spain’s economy in a downward spiral.