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| Spain lifts final Covid rules for UK travellers | Spain lifts final Covid rules for UK travellers |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Brits travelling to Spain can enter the country without having to prove their Covid or vaccination status, after travel restrictions were dropped. | Brits travelling to Spain can enter the country without having to prove their Covid or vaccination status, after travel restrictions were dropped. |
| Before, people needed to show they were fully-vaccinated, provide a negative Covid test or prove they had recently recovered. | Before, people needed to show they were fully-vaccinated, provide a negative Covid test or prove they had recently recovered. |
| The drop in the remaining Covid restrictions comes as families prepare to head off on half-term holidays. | The drop in the remaining Covid restrictions comes as families prepare to head off on half-term holidays. |
| Travel agents said a "final hurdle" for holidays had been removed. | Travel agents said a "final hurdle" for holidays had been removed. |
| Other European destinations such as France, Italy and Greece lifted their rules prior to Spain, which is the most popular destination for UK overseas holidaymakers. | Other European destinations such as France, Italy and Greece lifted their rules prior to Spain, which is the most popular destination for UK overseas holidaymakers. |
| The Spanish Health Ministry announced on Thursday that people entering from outside the European Union would no longer be subject to the controls, effective from Friday. | |
| Julia Lo Bue-Said, chief executive of the travel agent network Advantage Travel Partnership, said restrictions had been a barrier, particularly for people who were not vaccinated. | Julia Lo Bue-Said, chief executive of the travel agent network Advantage Travel Partnership, said restrictions had been a barrier, particularly for people who were not vaccinated. |
| "We saw other destinations where restrictions were eased earlier in the year, such as Greece, benefit from an overall increase in demand over the summer", she said. | "We saw other destinations where restrictions were eased earlier in the year, such as Greece, benefit from an overall increase in demand over the summer", she said. |
| Ms Lo Bue-Said described Spain's move as "better late than never and good news". | Ms Lo Bue-Said described Spain's move as "better late than never and good news". |
| It's not the first time Spain has been relatively slow to ease its Covid rules. | It's not the first time Spain has been relatively slow to ease its Covid rules. |
| The requirement for children over the age of 12 to be double vaccinated to enter the Spanish mainland was only scrapped just before the February half-term, after tourism businesses warned that it was driving families to book trips to other countries instead. | The requirement for children over the age of 12 to be double vaccinated to enter the Spanish mainland was only scrapped just before the February half-term, after tourism businesses warned that it was driving families to book trips to other countries instead. |
| Many countries around the world including the US still have Covid entry rules in place. | Many countries around the world including the US still have Covid entry rules in place. |
| Travel firms have continued to report strong demand for bookings, despite the cost of living pressures affecting households, with Heathrow Airport saying it expects Christmas to be busy. | Travel firms have continued to report strong demand for bookings, despite the cost of living pressures affecting households, with Heathrow Airport saying it expects Christmas to be busy. |
| However, it warned there was still uncertainty about the winter due to "growing economic headwinds, a new wave of Covid, and the escalating situation in Ukraine". | However, it warned there was still uncertainty about the winter due to "growing economic headwinds, a new wave of Covid, and the escalating situation in Ukraine". |
| The industry had a difficult summer as demand for international travel bounced back strongly, but businesses found themselves struggling to cope amid staffing shortages. | The industry had a difficult summer as demand for international travel bounced back strongly, but businesses found themselves struggling to cope amid staffing shortages. |
| It still faces various challenges as it looks to recover, including in recruitment as the labour market remains tight. | It still faces various challenges as it looks to recover, including in recruitment as the labour market remains tight. |
| Elsewhere, the Port of Dover and Eurostar are in discussions with the French and UK governments about how a new EU border control system will work. | Elsewhere, the Port of Dover and Eurostar are in discussions with the French and UK governments about how a new EU border control system will work. |
| The IT system due to come in next May, will require travellers to register their fingerprints and a photo when leaving the UK, but Dover is concerned that the registration process could cause queues. | The IT system due to come in next May, will require travellers to register their fingerprints and a photo when leaving the UK, but Dover is concerned that the registration process could cause queues. |