During Sunday's videoconference of regional presidents, President Armengol expressed her full support for the Spanish government's intention to extend the state of alarm for a further two weeks.
She was also grateful for the idea being put forward by the government regarding de-escalation of confinement varying according to region. "We are working on our own de-confinement plan in order to guarantee people's health." For the Balearics, she said, there would need to be health monitoring of the public and closure of ports and airports for "the maximum time possible".
Armengol asked Prime Minister Sánchez if there will be a "national strategy" for ports and airports once the state of alarm is lifted. Among safety and technological measures, she referred to the so-called immunity passport for travellers and argued that it should be standardised across the European Union. Tools such as this passport are ones that the Balearic government is looking at, taking account of the need to reactivate tourism as quickly as possible.
The president stressed the regional government's determination to revive the economy as soon as possible. Referring to the remarks made by the national employment minister, Yolanda Díaz, Armengol said that she didn't share the view - "far from it" - that tourism will not start up again until the end of the year.
The resumption of tourism, she continued, "must have clear strategies and planning as well as the assurance of certainty in guaranteeing the health and safety of the population and of tourists who can come". The Balearic government is aware that tourism will depend on "many circumstances". The pandemic is not the same in all countries, nor is the economic impact in these countries and Balearic dependency on them for tourism.
Faced with the possibility that tourism, transport, retailing and restaurants "may take longer to clearly reactivate", the regional government is seeking state measures to protect jobs - some 200,000.
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They just don't want to admit that there will not be ANY International Tourism without a Vaccine and we all know how far away that is :-EasyjetEasyJet plans to keep the middle seat on its planes empty to allow for social distancing once the Covid-19 lockdown has been lifted.The airline grounded its entire fleet at the end of March.EasyJet chief executive Johan Lundgren expects the seating measure will encourage more people to fly.RyanairMr. O’Leary branded the seating idea as “nonsense” and said the move would do nothing nothing to boost the confidence of customers or anything to stop the spread of Covid-19.
Clear and strategy are not words one associates with this Baleáric government.
I cannot believe how ignorant these politicians are. They think 'we have the product, they will come' Stupid beyond belief. Grant Schapps UK transport minister has told everyone not to book summer holidays this year. Airlines (Easyjet,Ryanair, Jet2) will be better off not operating until Oct, otherwise they will lose money operating (like the Mallorca hoteliers have said). My German neighbours tell me even less Germans will come here. They have very few deaths and think Spain is the wild west and disease ridden. No-one will risk sitting in a virus ridden tin can airplane getting to Mallorca, then go to restaurants and bars in the country that is 3rd worst in the world for Covid deaths. Good luck getting tourists here. These politicians are totally deluded and actually dangerous. Do not build up locals job expectations and figure out how to get tourism workers into other jobs.