The Gran Canaria Tourism board have announced that they are working closely with the Government of the Canary Islands to support the regional administration’s request to establish safe and direct air-corridors with the United Kingdom, based on the low incidence of cases related to Covid-19 in the Archipelago.
“Gran Canaria is a completely safe destination, which is why the Tourist Board are aligned with the efforts initiated by the Presidency of the Canary Islands Government to avoid quarantine obligations on British tourist upon their return [from the island], which would significantly affect reservations and our economic recovery ” said Carlos Álamo, Tourism Minister for the Cabildo de Gran Canaria.
Álamo supports the dialogue, initiated by the Canary Islands Government last night, to avoid the quarantine obligation announced for British tourists returning from a destination he described as “completely safe”
The Tourist Board intensified contacts with the main tourism agents and representatives of the United Kingdom on the Island, after the British Government advised against its citizens taking trips to mainland Spain yesterday, although later clarified that the advice did not apply to the Canary Islands. However, the obligation to self-isloate for 14 days on return, as a preventive measure, was maintained. The Gran Canaria Tourist Board (Patronato de Turismo) fears a serious setback for reservations and for the prospects of economic recovery in the sector.
The Tourist Board plan to address this matter within the executive committee and its governing board meeting this Monday at which all the tourist sectors for Gran Canaria are represented
The intention of the Board of Trustees in activating this round of contacts, also taking advantage of the fact that this Monday the Executive Committee and the Governing Board of the Board of Trustees are scheduled to meet with representatives of all the tourism sectors on Gran Canaria, plan to launch a series of measures with which to ensure a collaborative effort aligned with those led by the President of the Canary Islands, Ángel Víctor Torres and the Canary Islands Minister for Tourism, Yaiza Castilla Herrera, seeking support from Spain’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Arancha González Laya, and Minister for Tourism, Reyes Maroto.
Gran Canaria is throwing its weight behind communications with representatives of the British Government with the aim of establishing direct and secure air corridors, that will allow the island to maintain air connectivity between the Canary Islands and the United Kingdom.
The head of Gran Canaria’s Tourism Board said “I insist that Gran Canaria is a completely safe destination, as are the rest of the Canary Islands with only 5.8 cases per 100,000 inhabitants”.
“Not only are we one of the areas in Europe with the lowest incidence of Coronavirus cases, but we have created a safety belt to strengthen our main industry. We have worked intensively in recent months to establish health safety protocols with all professionals and people involved in the sector to avoid the appearance of outbreaks and that makes us fully prepared to detect, isolate and contain them, should these occur, “he added.
The counselor also pointed out that the Canary Islands received clear endorsement from the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), following their first official visit to Spain following the corona virus crisis. The UNWTO president, and his team, personally examined all health protocol measures put in place.
Álamo also pointed out that there has been no restrictions announced by the British Government advising Brits against travelling to the Canary Islands. “Now it is time to be calm and trust the efforts initiated to assert our exceptional situation in the Archipelago, with a low prevalence of COVID-19 and a destination where the entry of visitors is controlled,” he concluded.
