SPAIN has confirmed for the first time it will welcome Brits back to its beaches in June.
UK holidaymakers are to be allowed to travel there with a digital health pass following discussions between the two governments.
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Spanish tourism minister Fernando Valdes Verelst said: “June will be the start of the recovery of tourism in Spain.
“By then, we will have a digital vaccination certificate in place and we will be able to reopen our borders.”
He said Spain was pushing for the UK’s proposed digital pass to be “mutually recognised”, adding he welcomed PM Boris Johnson’s plans to restart international travel.
Spain — the destination for 17.4million Brits a year before the pandemic — is desperate to restart tourism.
It will begin a trial of accepting digital passes for its own nationals at Spanish airports next month with the aim of preparing for UK holidaymakers arriving in June.
Mr Verelst also predicted that Spain should be on the UK’s green list in the proposed traffic light system by June — meaning Brits returning home from the Costas will not be required to quarantine.
He explained: “Because of the progress in our vaccine rollout with 22 per cent of our population having had their first dose already, we expect by June to be at the green light.
“We are having close conversations with UK authorities and we are exchanging information on Spain’s digital system and the trial happening at our airports in May.”
And he added at the World Travel and Tourism Council’s summit in Mexico: “It is great news the UK government has said it will take into consideration the situation on individual islands.
“We do not want a situation like last year where it was stop-start in terms of travel being allowed.”
The boost for Spain-loving Brits comes a day after Trending In The News revealed that Greece would allow Brits into the country using their NHS paper vaccination cards this summer.
Harry Theocharis said the country was happy to accept the paper handwritten card to avoid having to take a pricey PCR test to enter the Med holiday hotspot.
Speaking at the World Travel And Tourism Summit in Cancun, Mexico, he said the paper document would be acceptable while the UK and EU develop digital health passports.
He said: “Until the UK has a digital passport, we have seen the paper cards that are provided with the two vaccine appointment dates and we are recognising them. They can be used on the ground and at the borders.”
For those who have not yet been vaccinated, they will still be welcome into the country if they have a negative PCR test and there will also be random testing at the airports.
He said Greece would also look at accepting the cheaper, rapid antigen tests in coming months.
We revealed last Thursday that Brits would be welcomed with open arms to European hotspots this summer thanks to the UK’s jabs success.
Spain, Portugal and Greece were leading the push as EU chiefs discussed reopening borders to sunseekers.
