The Balearic tourism minister, Iago Negueruela, told parliament on Tuesday that the Balearics will be the first destination in Spain where "the European vaccination certificate will be launched".
Negueruela stated this in response to questions from Marc Pérez-Ribas of Ciudadanos, who wanted to know if the government believes that the Balearics will be a safe destination for tourists.
Pérez-Ribas called for there to be a health alert action plan to make sure that the Balearics really will be a safe tourist destination. He said that tourists should be aware of the health situation and be given clear guidelines as to restrictions based on health variables. There is a need, the Cs spokesperson continued, to make the islands safe and sustainable destinations, "without waiting to know the strategies of competitors and therefore follow in their wake".
The Balearics, he added, have experienced "this situation before". "We have experience and so we know the deficiencies of the government in effectively managing the health challenge of the reactivation of tourism."
The minister explained that the Balearics have requested tighter controls for international flights and that the government is working with the hotel sector in ensuring that protocols are complied with. "This is the time for slow de-escalation with caution in order to be ready for the summer season." Negueruela added that, during the tourism season, restrictive measures will be intensified compared with last year.