Spain tightens COVID-19 restrictions for British tourists
FILE PHOTO: Tourists enjoy on the beach as mobile coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccination points have been installed by Spain's Valencia Health Ministry in Benidorm, Spain, November 17, 2021. REUTERS/Eva Manez
MADRID (Reuters) - British tourists will be admitted to Spain from next month only if they can show proof of a COVID-19 vaccination, according to a Spanish government bulletin published on Saturday as the country tightened travel restrictions amid concern about the new Omicron coronavirus variant.
Until now, Britons were admitted to Spain if they could show proof they had been fully vaccinated against coronavirus or a negative PCR test result taken up to 72 hours before arriving.
"The appearance of new variants causing (coronavirus) obliges an increase in restrictions," with regard to people from the UK and Northern Ireland, said the announcement in the Bulletin of State.
The new measure comes into force from Wednesday, Dec. 1.
"This will affect British residents but not British people who are resident in Spain," a spokeswoman for Spain's Industry, Trade and Tourism said.
About 300,000 Britons have residency in Spain, making it the largest group of UK citizens in Europe outside Britain.
Spain restricted flights from South Africa and Botswana on Friday following similar decisions by other European governments.[L8N2SH3F2]
(Reporting by Graham Keeley; Editing by Frances Kerry)
Serious News for Serious Traders! Try StreetInsider.com Premium Free!
You May Also Be Interested In
- Midday movers: Tesla, Blackstone, Las Vegas Sands fall; DR Horton rises
- UnitedHealth CEO to testify before US House panel on cyberattack at tech unit
- Analysis-Political heat prods Japan, South Korea to team up on weak currencies
Create E-mail Alert Related Categories
ReutersSign up for StreetInsider Free!
Receive full access to all new and archived articles, unlimited portfolio tracking, e-mail alerts, custom newswires and RSS feeds - and more!