The Gulf Time Newspaper One of the finest business newspapers in the UAE brought to you by our professional writers and editors.
Bloomberg
Portugal and Spain imposed new restrictions on UK visitors amid concern about the coronavirus delta variant as Germany pushed for a more coordinated European Union response to try to limit the strain taking hold in the bloc.
The changes are a setback for Europe’s holiday destinations just as the summer tourism season should be kicking up a gear.
The latest decisions add to the patchwork of confusing, and rapidly changing, rules in place for holiday makers. German Chancellor Angela Merkel has suggested the entire EU should coordinate closely and be more cautious about allowing entry to travelers from external countries.
German officials said on Monday that the government has no current plans to change rules on inbound travel from virus variant areas such as the UK, noting that regulations in place are already “very, very strict.†Merkel’s chief spokesman, Steffen Seibert, said the government continues to push for a unified EU regime on inbound travel.
Portugal’s latest decision imposes a quarantine on unvaccinated arrivals from Britain. Spain said UK tourists coming to Mallorca and Ibiza will have to show proof of full vaccination or a negative PCR test.
Starting Wednesday, UK holidaymakers heading to Malta will also have to quarantine for 14 days upon arrival if they haven’t had their second dose. Earlier this month, Italy introduced a five-day quarantine and mandatory testing for travelers from the UK. And last week , Germany placed Portugal on its list of variant-concern areas, requiring tourists returning from the Iberian country to quarantine for 14 days.
The latest restrictions come days before the start of the EU’s Covid-19 travel certificate program, intended to allow more freedom of movement within the bloc for those vaccinated. The EU has administered one dose to about half the population, while almost 32% are fully vaccinated.