ARCHIVED - Spain unlikely to move into UK travel green list next week says British Ambassador
British Ambassador to Spain, Hugh Elliott, has asked the Valencian Community for "patience" during a trip to the Costa Blanca.
The British Ambassador to Spain, Hugh Elliott said it is "unlikely" the country will be included in the UK's green list of safe destinations in the next review on June 7, during a visit to Benidorm today, Wednesday, June 2.
Responding to calls for Spain to be regionalised in terms of its Covid data, the ambassador said it "is not viable" to consider Valencia region as an individual territory, and stressed the UK government "does not want to take steps backwards" despite the favourable epidemiological figures.
He added that British citizens "are eager to come to the Valencian region" on the Costa Blanca, as airline interest in Alicante-Elche Airport shows, and asked "for a little patience".
The region and Benidorm currently have an average accommodation occupation of between 50-60 per cent during the week and peaks of almost 90 per cent on weekends.
But the tourism industry is understandably eager to see the return of international tourists to really kickstart the sector's recover.
The British Ambassador, who also visited Alicante Port today, assured that the region's low incidence rate and progressing vaccination campaign "will be an asset" when unrestricted mobility is restored "because tourists will seek safe places" to holiday.
Although the Spanish government has lifted all travel restrictions, the UK is continuing to warn tourists not to travel to countries on the amber list unless absolutely necessary.
IMAGE: Ayuntamiento de Benidorm