Tour Operators are demanding that the Balearic Government use Ecotax money to pay for rapid coronavirus tests and that collaboration agreements be established to provide facilities for European tourists.
At the Safe Tourism Forum organised by the Consell Mallorca, TUI, Schauinsland-Reisenn and Jet2 expressed deep concern and uncertainty about the summer season in 2021.
Jet2 CEO Steve Heapy has called for unitary protocols at EU level to prevent the current dispersal of anti-Covid-19 regulations.
"Contagion assessment criteria must be unified, a test system must be in place and concrete and safe sanitary air corridors established,” said Steve Heapy, “and it must be done in a coordinated way to prevent the European economy from entering a recession.”
The Head of TUI in Spain and the Balearic Islands, Ian Livesey, says PCR tests should be performed in the country of origin to make it easier for Europeans to go on holiday.
"If we want to have a tourist season in the Balearics next year we must have an active health control system that promotes safe PCR tests for travellers and it is vital that Brussels establishes unitary criteria and enables the greatest number of controls at European level.”
“The rapid tests are going to get cheaper and cheaper, so the Government and Tour Operators can bear the cost and the Government can use Ecotax funds to lower the price of tests even further," said Schauinslan Reisen Director, Carlos Fuster. "The goal is for tourists to leave their country of origin and arrive at their destination completely calm."
German and British Tour Groups agreed that “before talking about safe brokers it is necessary to lower the level of contagion in Mallorca and the other islands in order to start marketing, hence the summer of 2021 is currently a big unknown.”
Amongst the topics discussed at the Forum were technological solutions to ensure the security of rooms, how to promote cultural activities and how to increase security protocols.
"The priority now is to continue to improve epidemiological data in order to establish safe tourist corridors as best we can," said Council President Catalina Cladera who also favours health checks at ports and airports.
VIA Group Debate
Balearic Hotel Sector Managers met at the Hotel Debate & Design on Thursday to analyse the changes that the Hotel Sector will experience after the Covid era.
Businessmen from the Balearic Islands demanded that coronavirus tests be performed in the country of origin and safe corridors be established.