Spain Reopening Foreign Tourism from July

The Spanish government has hinted at a possible reopening to foreign tourism this summer. It comes as a raft of lockdown measures were eased in Madrid and Barcelona on Monday.

Spain's Tourism Minister Reyes Maroto said on Monday that foreign tourists could be allowed to book vacations in Spain starting in July. The ministers comment comes as Spain ramps up its lockdown easing across the country.

The government expects that the two-week quarantine imposed on overseas travelers will be suspended by that time, Maroto said.

"It is perfectly coherent to plan summer vacations to come to Spain in July," Maroto said in an interview with local radio station Onda Cero.

Maroto's comments boosted shares in Spain's tourism-related stocks, including hotel operator Melia Hotels which rose 14% in early trading.

Spain was one of the worst-hit nations in the coronavirus pandemic, with 235,772 infections. The virus has killed more than 28,700 people — one of the highest COVID-19 death tolls in the world.

As such, the country underwent a strict lockdowns for two months, in which citizens were only allowed out for essential business. Only in the past few weeks have Spaniards been able to take their children out for one hour of play time, as the country began to flatten its curve.

The Spanish government crafted a lockdown-easing plan that consisted of several phases and which would apply differently to each region, depending on their status of the epidemic.

Tourism is a critical part of the country's economy. Spain is the world's second-most visited nation and normally draws some 80 million visitors per year.

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