Irish sun seekers’ hopes of a summer holiday in Spain have been boosted by Spanish plans to introduce vaccine passports from as early as May.
Ireland’s favourite summer getaway is desperate to restore the tourism industry that its costas and islands are dependant on, and Spanish tourism minister Reyes Maroto told a local TV station that the government “could be in a position to start implementing the digital passport.”
Speaking to Antena 3 TV, Maroto said ministers are planning to have the ‘Digital Green Pass’ ready for the the FITUR international tourism fair in Madrid, which starts on May 19. However, Maroto also said that the passport depends on the ongoing rollout of vaccinations in Spain and the level of infection rates.
So far, 4.8 million people have received their first dose and 1.4 million their second; the Spanish government has set a target of between 30 to 40 per cent of the population vaccinated by the end of April.
The Digital Green Pass scheme aims to open up travel within the EU first; Greece is expected to green light the return of international visitors on May 14.
Ireland is currently on the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) red list, which means that even if international travel were permitted, anyone wishing to go to Spain would need a minimum of three negative PCR tests – the first up to 72 hours before departure; the second before departing Spain; and the third five days after their return to Ireland.
(Picture by tavarez88 from Pixabay)
