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The STO made a spectacular U-turn after announcing unvaccinated British tourists would be allowed to enter Spain without restriction
The Spanish Tourist Office (STO) in the UK made a dramatic U-turn on Wednesday April 6, dashing the hopes of many British travellers, after it mistakenly announced that unvaccinated tourists would be allowed to freely enter Spain from this week.
The Tourist Office website stated that unvaccinated Brits would be granted entry to Spain once they could show a negative Covid test. Furthermore, it claimed that UK passengers wouldn’t need to complete a Passenger Locator Form.
Embarrassingly, just hours later, Pedro Medina, deputy director of the Spanish Tourist Office in the UK, admitted that his department has misinterpreted the information in Spain’s Official State Gazette (BOE), and retracted the earlier announcement.
Unvaccinated adults travelling from the UK to Spain can only enter the country for tourism purposes if they can provide a recent Covid recovery certificate. What’s more, a completed Passenger Locator Form is also still a requirement, although the process has been simplified considerably for fully vaccinated travellers.
On Wednesday night, Mr Medina of the STO said: “We apologise unreservedly for the miscommunication earlier today which was due to a misunderstanding of the new entry requirements.”
Also of interest: Spain says adiós to indoor masks on April 19
He went on to clarify that the only exception to the Spanish rule of entry is for unjabbed teenagers aged between 12 and 17 who can show a negative coronavirus test prior to arrival. Children under 12 don’t need to complete a health control form if they are travelling with an adult who holds an NHS pass.
For fully vaccinated travellers from Britain, the STO said: “If more than 270 days have passed since the final dose, certification of a booster vaccination is also required, except for teenagers aged 12 to 17 (inclusive).”
Julia Lo Bue-Said, chief executive of the Advantage Travel Partnership, who had originally welcomed the relaxed travel rules, took to Twitter after the STO’s correction last night and hailed the mortifying U-turn a “spectacular blunder.”
Now read: How to get a Covid passport and How to make an appointment for a vaccination or booster jab in Spain
Image: Archive
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