Spain, in bid to rally economy, wants tourists within weeks

A senior Spanish government official says he expects British and other vacationers to return to Spain within weeks as the country races to revive its tourism industry amid the COVID-9 pandemic

MADRID -- A senior Spanish government official says he expects British and other vacationers to return to Spain within weeks as the country races to revive its tourism industry amid the COVID-9 pandemic. Deputy Minister for Tourism Fernando Valdés told The Associated Press on Wednesday that falling coronavirus incidence rates and accelerating vaccine rollouts in some countries will enable Spain to drop travel restrictions early next month. Some people “from countries outside the European Union will be able to come — for example, from the United Kingdom, which is in a good epidemiological situation — without any restrictions,” Valdés said in an interview. “And we are going to begin to accept citizens that can present a vaccine certificate,” he said.