The fact that the Government wants to extend the declaration of the state of alarm until May to curb the second wave of the pandemic throws more uncertainty about the Christmas tourist campaign and even Easter. The sector believes that what worries the most is the announcement of the deadline because it deters international tourists.
They further consider that now The ball is on the roof of the autonomous communities, which are the ones that have to put the maximum effort into controlling contagions and take measures such as the implementation of tests, says Jos Luis Zoreda, vice president of Exceltur, a lobby that brings together the main companies in the sector.
The announcement of the date puts pressure on the economy and on the tourism sector. If the situation improves, you can get up, but if it lasts until May it will be a national disaster because it will mean that we have not been able to control the pandemic, “says Zoreda.
At this time of year, the communities that concentrate most of the activity are the Canary Islands (which is outside the state of alarm, due to the better evolution of the pandemic), Madrid and Barcelona, that concentrate business tourism (it is considered lost), Andalusia, Valencian Community and Balearics. Also, for winter, the ski destinations.
Bookings
For Jorge Marichal, president of Cehat, the Spanish Confederation of Hotels and Tourist Accommodation, the announcement of this long term “could have an effect on Easter bookings.”
From Fetave, the Business Federation of Territorial Associations of Spanish Travel Agencies, ask the Autonomous Communities for maximum rigor in the remainder of October, already lost, and the month of November, which is touristically insurmountable, to shorten the maximum possible alarm period. They consider it essential to save the December campaign and the next long weekends and Christmas so that the sector can survive until Easter.
Losses in 2020, according to Exceltur’s calculations, will exceed 106,000 million euros. The sector looks to the Canary Islands, the last tourist stronghold that can still save part of its high season by having been left out of a state of alarm. It is in the green zone even for Germany and the United Kingdom, which have lifted their respective quarantines for their citizens who want to travel to the archipelago.
Air activity, essential for tourism, also is at the expense of the communities and the possible restrictions they impose, says Javier Gándara, president of the Asociación de LÃneas Aà ©reas (ALA ). The airlines have had to adapt their dynamics to the volatile situation and review flight schedules on a weekly basis, sometimes “upward, as has been the recent case in the Canary Islands.”
Passenger demand has dropped by around 80% and flight supply is at 50% levels compared to last year, although in recent weeks, as the second wave progressed, many airlines have announced cuts in your programming.
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