Spain was one of the hardest hit nations with regards to the COVID-19 pandemic, and they took hard measures in the form of a nationwide lockdown to combat it.
These measures appear to have done the job, with a steady down trend that resembles the one we are seeing here in New York.
In this article
Spain to Reopen to International Tourists July 1st
While Spain never really sealed its borders, it has had a 14 day mandatory quarantine in effect, effectively negating any reason for anyone to visit (which was partly the point). Spain was hit hard by coronavirus, with only the UK having more cases in Europe.
But they also need tourism dollars and, as of July 1st, you will no longer have to quarantine when entering from outside Spain.
That doesn’t mean the experience won’t be different. A beach town near Valencia discussed plans for extreme social distancing measures on the beach that would require reservations. Restaurants will begin reopening, but only for outdoor service, which will again certainly mean fewer tables available.
Apparently, no COVID tests will be required.
I’m a bit surprised that Spain is being quite so welcoming given how hard they have worked to get their cases down. Remember that Iceland and Austria, for example, require negative COVID-19 tests for entry.
Australia and New Zealand plan to stay walled off to the world, probably for the remainder of 2020, at least.
More and more countries are reopening
I mentioned three countries opening back up not too long ago, but a glance at Skift’s reopening tracker shows many countries planing to “open up.”
Meanwhile, the United States just added a new restriction on Brazil’s residents with no indication on when we will “reopen for business” when it comes to tourism.
Of course, getting to any of these countries will require a long and potentially crowded flight while (in theory) wearing a mask.
Personally, I plan to wait at least another month before flying, just to see how all this Phase 1 reopening plays out. Whatever your viewpoint, things are reopening and it seems safe to at least think about when and where your next trip might be. If this all goes well, August is probably my own target for “reopening.”
Interestingly, it wasn’t that long ago that Spain indicated its borders would remain closed through 2020! I guess things can change quickly…
Are you planning a trip yet?
Let me know here, on Twitter, or in the private MilesTalk Facebook group.
You can find credit cards that best match your spending habits and bonus categories at Your Best Credit Cards.
New to all of this? My “introduction to miles and points” book, MilesTalk: Live Your Wildest Travel Dreams Using Miles and Points is available on Amazon and at major booksellers.
