Spain’s tourism sector remains in an induced coma after almost a year of record activity. An increase in infections in early 2021 led to new mobility restrictions on the European continent, but in Spain this led to a paradoxical situation: while crossing regional borders was largely prohibited, international visitors were still allowed to enter the country.

The contradiction can be explained by the fact that under the second alarm conditionIt is the country’s regional governments that are responsible for deciding on their own coronavirus measures. This is in contrast to the period from March to June of last year when the central government made all major decisions under the emergency powers granted by the first state of alert.

Business travel has suffered particularly from the coronavirus crisis. Most of the trade shows have been canceled and those that haven’t will be held virtually

Under the current legal framework, regional authorities can close their own borders for all but essential domestic travel. However, they are unable to refuse European travelers entry across international borders such as airports or ports that are centrally managed. It is up to the Spanish government to make this decision, but so far it has not, with the exception of a ban on non-essential ones Travel from the UK and from non-EU countries.

The only condition that was introduced for passengers arriving by air or sea was a PCR testalthough this was not required of people who came in by land. In other words, nothing prevented a German citizen from entering Spain via the city of Palma on Mallorca, for example. The only thing that has prevented more Europeans from coming to Spain is the fact that their countries of origin have severely restricted foreign travel for recreational purposes.

January numbers

This collection of rules, which contributed to a bad epidemiological situation after the Christmas holidays, gave the Spanish tourism industry an unpredictable start. Despite the open borders, only 434,362 foreign travelers came to Spain in January, a decrease of 89.5% compared to the same month last year in 2020. The decline in spending was similarly dramatic: $ 452 million, a 90.5% decrease from January 2020 Tuesday by the National Statistics Institute (INE). And The canary islands felt it most sharply when it saw its high season, winter, go up in smoke.

This comes down to a historically bad 2020, which had the worst arrivals and expenditures in half a century. At this point, the tourism industry is hoping the vaccination campaign will help save the summer season by which time the government is hoping it will immunized 70% of the population.

Business travel has suffered particularly from the coronavirus crisis. Most of the trade shows have been canceled and those that haven’t will be held virtually. Business meetings went the same way. Nevertheless, the decline in holiday trips was so enormous that the share of business trips in total trips to Spain has reached the highest level ever: 37% of trips in January were for work purposes and even higher in December, 41%. These are the highest numbers since 2015, when the INE started breaking down the total number of arrivals.

LOST JOBS

By Ignacio Fariza and Manuel V. Gómez

Nine out of ten jobs that have been lost since February 2020 were in hospitality and leisure, according to the Ministry of Social Security. Almost 345,000 workers in these industries were laid off as a result of the coronavirus crisis in a country where tourism is a key driver of economic growth.

And that number does not take into account workers on leave sent home through the government’s ERTE job retention program. As of mid-February, nearly half of the 909,000 people who participated in this program worked in hotels or food and beverage establishments.

English version of Susana Urra.

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR