FCO reinstate advice against travel to mainland Spain - Page 5

Hi Aitch,

I don't have an issue with decisive action, provided it's well thought-through and consistent.  The UK has effectively applied a blanket ban on travel to the whole of Spain, yet the infection rate increases are primarily in the Catalonia and neighbouring Aragon regions, and a smaller increase in Galicia.  Today, the UK has also excluded travel to the Balaerics and the Canary islands, although Mallorca is the hotspot.  Why not work with the Spanish government to introduce a targeted approach, maintaining air bridges to certain primary airports where infection rates are still under control?  This isn't just about Spain's economy and their tourist industry - the UK airlines and travel companies are less than impressed by the UK government's "decisive" action.

I have to be honest, as a permanent resident in Spain, it would be easy for me to agree with others and say I'd feel a lot safer if tourists weren't allowed to come to Spain, but an isolationist approach will simply decimate economies, globally.

Kind regards,

Kim

A localised ban would be impossible to police. What's to stop someone in Barcelona jumping on a train to Alicante and flying home? Assuming Catalonia would be on the quarantine list and Valencia not.

You might say check accommodation address, but then you're into a logistical nightmare.

It's been said that there must be a reason for such a sudden decision, and that reason might be the El Pais report on Sunday saying the death toll in Spain is actually 60% higher at 45k. Something that (I think) the Spanish government didn't disagree with.

There might be a sense in Westminster that the Spanish government has been cooking the book on the reported numbers, which means the present situation might be getting played down, which makes a snap decision more likely?

I dunno, and I'm not saying that is the case,  but certainly the El Pais reports makes interesting reading.

Edit... I've not read it yet, only the re-reported version on Reuters.

Hi WDG,

"A localised ban would be impossible to police. What's to stop someone in Barcelona jumping on a train to Alicante and flying home?"  

Pre-arrival data would include their accommodation data and return flight details.

"You might say check accommodation address, but then you're into a logistical nightmare."  

That's actually one of the data sets used for track and trace.

"It's been said that there must be a reason for such a sudden decision, and that reason might be the El Pais report on Sunday saying the death toll in Spain is actually 60% higher at 45k. Something that (I think) the Spanish government didn't disagree with."  

The UK government didn't comment on the FT's report detailing why they believed the UK was understating deaths by 50% - and Spain didn't use it as an excuse to blame the UK for its own Covid-19 statistics.  Even at 45k, Spain's death rate is lower than the UK's and that's without applying the 50% uplift suggested by the FT.

There might be a sense in Westminster that the Spanish government has been cooking the book on the reported numbers, which means the present situation might be getting played down, which makes a snap decision more likely?

Pot.....kettle......black..... springs to mind ;o)

Kind regards,

Kim

Lol, cant disagree, just putting it out there.

Bang on mate. That's exactly my thought. England is a washout.run by incompetent moron's..

Maybe PM Sanchez has to think the unthinkable that for the forseeable future he will have to stimulate the Spanish economy by something other than tourism.

Spain is the second highest manufacturer and exporter of cars in Europe, after Germany.  Along with Spain's pharmaceutical industry, it matches the level of GDP generated by tourism.

UK is more likely run by Dominic Cummings, than BJ - he monitors the spin, Facebook data and manipulation of the public to best effect (Brexit, £350m NHS saved on bus etc).

Spain 3/4 of infections in North/East - whereas areas where Brits usually visit, is lower than the UK. On Friday 456 died in the UK, 12 in Spain.

Of course an ongoing battle with opening up - for everyone.

The UK move is very cynical, given it would appear a situation worse in many places in the UK. 

So it SO IMPORTANT to give quick information to act to save lives - that it takes 2 weeks to give people enough notice to put masks on, but 5 minutes to make the decision on Spain? That does not reflect a TRUE public health concern.

Ultimately i'm glad I left the UK 17 years ago, as the UK has gone from a respected country both worldwide and within the EU - to an international joke, with the self-belief they are something they are now not 'Great'. Trading on the past and completely ignoring the 'here and now' - no Brexit deal, a currency & economy which has dropped substantially since Brexit and now the pandemic financial issues on top. Dear oh Dear - Great Britain? Not any more 'Little Britain' more apt - by the time Scotland walks off not sure what will be left...

The Tourism Sector accounts for roughly 5% of Spain's GDP.

But hey...you carry on with your preferred narrative if it helps.

Isn't most of that in the north though? The south, the tourist hotspots are pretty much a macro-ecomony, no?

As Pix said there needs to be a massive stimulus package, well over and above the small amounts the EU are granting out. Spain is going to have to borrow big from the EU, and we've seen where that leads a la Greece. Yanis Varoufakis has a lot to say about the EU and debt. None of it good.