Like France, tourism in Spain is completely devastated by the epidemic. Only 19 million foreign tourists visited the country in 2020, up from around 83 million in 2019.
According to the National Institute of Statistics (INE), the French represented the largest contingent with 3.8 million visitors, a drop of 69% compared to 2019. In late July, the United Kingdom decided to impose a mandatory quarantine on all visitors. Returning from Spain. As a result, the British, traditionally the most to go to Spain, had only 3.2 million to go, 82% less in 2019.
Catalonia remained the most visited region with 3.8 million tourists, but the figure is 80% lower than the previous year.
However, the Spanish economy is highly dependent on tourism, the second most popular world destination behind France. Results: The country was finished by 2020, with over half a million additional unemployed, mainly in the tourism and hotels sector, and still about 750,000 people partially unemployed.
And the situation is not expected to improve. The government has taken a new decision of health vigilance by May 9, 2021 for the entire national area except the Canaries. Spain obliges travelers coming from 65 “at-risk countries”, of which France presents a negative PCR. Trial of less than 72 hours upon arrival in the field.
Bars and restaurants open
On the other hand, health measures are not national, but are specific to each region, with the exception of the curfew that applies throughout the country.
Thus it is possible to have coffee or lunch on the terrace of a restaurant in Madrid or within the range of four people, but not in Valencia or Galicia where catering is closed. The government admitted that it did not have the limits again to negotiate a curfew.
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According to the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) the global tourism sector suffered a loss of $ 1.3 trillion in 2020, while the number of tourists globally declined by 74%.
