The report notes the situation with Greek islands, where whole populations have been or are being vaccinated. Transport secretary Grant Shapps recently said that he was in favour of an "islands approach", as was adopted for a time last summer. Yet the government's green list has taken no account of this, leaving out not just Greek islands but all of the Balearics, where coronavirus incidence is the second lowest in Spain.
Travel industry bosses, such as easyJet CEO Johan Lundgren, have described the government's approach as being over-cautious and are urging an early revision for destinations such as Mallorca and the Balearics. In a report in Mallorca-based Hosteltur magazine on Friday, it was said that easyJet Holidays were anticipating a "boom" for the islands. This will now be on hold for a few weeks.
In Mallorca, where the UK government's announcement has naturally been met with disappointment, the Balearic tourism minister, Iago Negueruela, says that "it is certain that we are being penalised because London is looking at Spain as a whole". "There are various regions with infections above the national average and much higher than in the Balearics."
Although Negueruela adds that the government "has done its homework" in establishing a framework of safe conditions for holidaymakers, there are dissenting voices who blame the slowness of the vaccination campaign and a lack of diplomacy for the failure to be granted green list status.
The president of the Mallorca Hoteliers Federation, Maria Frontera, points to Mallorca being far off recovery by comparison with destinations where vaccination programmes are more advanced. Juan Manuel Ordinas of the Association of Small and Medium-Sized Hotels believes there has been a diplomatic failure by both the Balearic and Spanish governments, who have not been able to convince London to differentiate between the Balearics and the rest of Spain.
Last week, there were of course meetings with the British Ambassador, Hugh Elliott, at which Negueruela and President Armengol sought to make just this point.
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As said in another similar report , its futile moaning about the British amber classification when Spain has extended the restriction on UK Tourism entry until at least the 31 st of May, instead of encouraging the British to travel whether Amber or Green.
It may be so that the Balearic Islands have the second lowest incidence rate, however they also have the second lowest vaccination rate. Talk of ‘travel corridors’ to specific islands is ridiculous when you take into account the travel between regions, not to mention the fact that the place is ridden with Germans and French, who also are restricted from regional travel, yet by some quirk of European law, are allowed to travel here by plane. Yes, the incidence rate is low here, but not for long I fear
what disappointment? spain is not admitting uk nationals until the end of june at the earliest. you can leave the UK but cannot land in Palma. If you do, you are sent straight back. Meanwhile, german nationals, where vaccination rates are lower and incidence higher, are able to travel unhindered. who's being treated like an idiot here?
But the truth is the rollout of the vaccine in the Balearic Islands is amongst the worst in Spain. They’ve actually been rather arrogant about figures and ramped up the rhetoric about vaccinations. But they didn’t delivery. They knew the criteria for the ‘green light’ included, quite rightly, a high level of vaccination. They ignored this - and were therefore not included. On Friday - they actually ran out of vaccines. So, despite the press releases, they are currently unable to make any vaccination appointments for next week. It’s a disaster. No wonder Mallorca isn’t on the list - put simply they do not deserve to be. And it is entirely their own fault. As will be the economic disaster on the island.
Hi Your article uk holiday makers treated like fools is totally misleading . I have owned a property on the island for 15 years and from May 17 I will not be prevented from visiting my property by the uk government but will be prevented from entering Majorca and supporting local businesses by the local government who continue to refuse entry. When will Majorca permit entry to uk citizens who own property on the island and have received vaccinations ? Regards Steve Osmond
Yet we were told that if we had the vaccine we would be set free!!
Irrespective of the traffic light system which didn’t throw up any surprises, the Spanish government has has clearly stated that British non residents cannot enter Spain at this time. So no point in whining about not being on the green list. And for those home owners (non residents) that have traveled and been denied entry clearly have not read the current Spanish guidelines. Until Spain and the rest of Europe get to grip with its vaccination program don’t rely on the brits to save your tourism industry.
What most people don't realise and something you need to understand, is that in the big picture the ambassador is actually a nobody, with no power whatsoever. Going to visit him is nothing more than a PR exercise ( and not a very good one at that ). Travel decisions are ONLY ever made in the UK and are not influenced by a pen pusher in Mallorca. Thanks to the EU the vaccination rate in Mallorca is pathetic. If it was going at the same rate as the UK this Island could very easily have been vaccinated several times over by now.
When will the press and the bosses of the airline and tourist industry learn the British Government us not going to dance to their tune We are hoping for total freedom in August for the whole county with Covid a horrible memory yeah there may be a need for re inoculation but given what's gone on over the last 1.5 yrs its a small price to pay and Holidays should be the last thing 9n people's mind let's just get the damm County back on its feet mallorca will still be there at the end of all this and not getting the tourist Euros they crave even though a few stubborn idiots on here say they don't need it might make their Government steep up and get your vaccination programme up to where it needs to be Because at present that's what is letting you down not the brits or their Government
There is no discernible objection amongst the public here against the traffic light concept and roll out - if anything, the greater concern is the gov are allowing travel too quickly. The excessive hyperbole is coming from the airline industry who are of course (and understandably) more concerned with economics than public safety. The gov have to balance both. I have flights booked for end of May and am quite happy to leave under the amber light. But won’t be coming because mallorca won’t let the Brits in. So what’s allowed in the UK is a bit academic anyway!