MADRID, May 25 (Xinhua) -- Spanish Minister for Industry, Trade and Tourism Reyes Maroto on Monday issued an invitation for foreign tourists to start booking holidays in Spain from July as the country recovers from the coronavirus pandemic.
Speaking on radio station Onda Cero, Maroto said it was "perfectly coherent to plan summer vacations to come to Spain in July."
She said that once Spain ends the State of Alarm, which limits freedom of movement into and around the country (it will currently last until June 7) and the accompanying quarantine measures which have also been imposed on foreign visitors, "tourists will be allowed back into Spain."
Spain was the second most popular tourist destination in the world in 2019, with just under 84 million visitors providing around 12 percent of the country's GDP. The minister said she hoped saving at least part of the tourist season would help alleviate the economic effects of the coronavirus crisis.
"If we work as we have done in the past two years to strengthen the trademark and train workers in the sector, we are going to be able to save some of the summer... I am convinced the sector will help us out of the social and economic crisis," she said.
On Saturday, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez also said that Spain would attempt to save its tourist season.
"People can plan their holidays. We will guarantee tourists will not be at risk and will not present a risk to us either... I want to announce there will be a tourist season. I publically invite all of the establishments at the beach and in the interior to prepare to renew their activity in the coming days," said Sanchez in a televised speech.
The Spanish health authorities have so far confirmed over 235,000 coronavirus cases and 28,752 deaths. Enditem
