Spain Plans to Establish ‘Vaccination Certificate’ to Recover Tourism Sector
Spain will soon be included in the list of European countries preparing to implement a 'vaccination certificate' in the near future that will promote the flow of travelers and help the tourism industry rebound from the harm caused by the pandemic of Coronavirus.
Spain’s Tourism Minister, Reyes Maroto has announced that the country’s government is working to introduce a ‘vaccination certificate’, which will have the same functions the ones that are set to be launched by Denmark, Greece, Iceland, and backed by the European Union Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, AtoZSerwisPlus.pl reports.
According to Maroto, the government’s responsibility was not only “resistance to the virus but also the recovery and maintenance of Spain’s leadership in terms of tourism competitiveness.”
She asserted that the government’s support in the tourism sector is extraordinary, highlighting the importance of “transforming and digitalising” for the tourism industry to keep competitiveness.
In this regard, Spain’s President of the Tourism Board Juan Molas previously stressed that personalisation, digitalisation and talent would be the key points to help the tourism industry get back to the pre-pandemic situation.
Spain’s tourism sector has faced a 75 per cent decrease in the revenues in the tourism sector, while a drop of 20 million was marked in the number of international visitors, during last year, the figures of El Pais revealed.
Based on October 2020 figures, about 17,8 million international tourists visited Spain during last year, which shows that the decrease in international tourists’ number is comparable to 1968 (19.2 million international tourists) and 1969 data (about 21.7 million international tourists).
In spring last year, a European Union official told AtoZSerwisPlus.pl that internationals wishing to travel to the Schengen area countries, once the European countries start to receive their vaccine doses, will have to present evidence that they have taken the vaccine against COVID-19, to be permitted to enter the borderless area.
Earlier this month, Denmark’s Ministry of Health revealed that it is working on launching the ‘vaccine passport’ to help its citizens travel to countries where vaccination would become a mandatory requirement for entry.
Immediately after Greece Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis urged the European Commission to establish a common document that can be used by the EU Member States. His idea was backed by the European Union Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, who still pointed out that EU countries should first discuss such a plan.
The plan of creating “vaccination passports” has been opposed by the Emergency Committee of the World Health Organization Committee (WHO), which asserts that the countries should not impose such requirements as vaccines’ impact on reducing transmission is not yet known.