Spain announces it will welcome UK tourists from next week without quarantine

21 May 2021, 10:18 | Updated: 21 May 2021, 10:20

Spain has announced plans to welcome UK tourists from next week. Picture: PA

By Polly Foreman

We don't yet know when holidays to Spain will be on the cards again, but the country has said it will welcome Brit tourists from next week.

Spain has confirmed that it will welcome UK tourists from next Monday without them needing to quarantine when they get there.

The Spanish government announced the decision in an official state bulletin, and it is thought that visitors to the country will need to show they have been vaccinated or have proof of a negative test.

Spain is currently on the UK 'amber list', meaning that visitors to the country will need to quarantine for 10 days on their return to the UK.

The government also stressed this week that the public should not be going on holiday to amber list countries, and should only travel there in exceptional circumstances.

Spain is currently on the amber list. Picture: PA

Boris Johnson said: "I think it's very important for people to grasp what an amber list country is: it is not somewhere where you should be going on holiday, let me be very clear about that.

"And if people do go to an amber list country, they absolutely have to for some pressing family or urgent business reason, then please bear in mind that you will have to self-isolate, you'll have to take tests and do your passenger locator form and all the rest of it."

Health Secretary Matt Hancock added: "We have been absolutely crystal clear that you should not go to an amber or red list country on holiday, you should only go in exceptional circumstances."

The Spanish Interior Ministry announcement confirming the move to put the UK on Spain’s non-EU exemption list, which also applies to Japan, said, according to the Mirror: "At present the European Union is debating a modification of the recommendation on a temporary restriction of non-essential journeys from outside the EU.

"Several EU states have already put those two countries in that privileged position.

The government has advised against going on holiday to amber list countries. Picture: PA

"Spain receives each year a number of visitors from the UK which is especially relevant in relative and absolute terms and many economic sectors need to adapt their capacity in anticipation of border changes.

"In light of all this, and after consulting with other government departments which are affected, order INT/657/2020 dated July 17 is modified to include Japan and the UK on the exempted list.

"The modification will take effect from midnight on May 24."

We don't yet know when Spain will be added to the green list. The next review is due to take place on June 7.

Now read:

What countries are on the green list and what are the rules for travel?