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The 90% of Spaniards are already summering (or plan to) within our borders this summer, according to the latest data from the Sociological Research Center (CIS). His preferences include inland tourism, his own beach apartment or for rent (the price of which rises when compared to last year) and rural enclaves surrounded by nature and far from the crowds.

But, what about the foreign tourists that every year fill our beaches? Its arrival is one of the great unknowns, although the Ministry of Tourism already points out that it expects a 56% drop compared to 2019 , when Spain received 36 million tourists, according to the CIS itself. The economic investment left in our country was 92.3 million euros, with a variation of 2.8% over 2018. Nothing to do with the data for the month of May, when we lost eight million tourists and about 8,100 million euros, a figure that would reach 15 million if we also add the month of April, according to the National Statistics Institute (INE).

Fifteen new countries welcome

Since June 21, our country's borders have been open to citizens of the Schengen area, which include, in addition to the EU member states, Switzerland, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, which automatically entered the list. from "safe" countries.

Interior of an airplane with passengers wearing a mask. SHUTTERSTOCK

The opening with Portugal did not come until July 1, when it was announced by hype and cymbal, with visits on the border of the Kings Don Felipe and Doña Letizia included. In addition, the idea of ​​forcing a 14-day quarantine in solitary confinement passed to a better life, as originally proposed.

From July 1 a total of 15 countries from outside the European Union can also enter . They are these: Algeria, Australia, Canada, South Korea, Georgia, Japan, Montenegro, Morocco, New Zealand, Rwanda, Serbia, Thailand, Tunisia and Uruguay, the only country in Latin America that has free access . In it, 929 coronavirus cases have been confirmed (as of this week) and 27 deaths, being one of the best in the South American continent to manage the pandemic.

Conditions to enter

Still, each of the EU member states can decide whether or not to welcome citizens of these new 15 states based on their own situation. Among the conditions to gain access is that "their epidemiological situation is analogous or better than that of Europe, that they assume certain sanitary conditions and that they act with reciprocity", as the Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez , has specified .

A couple of tourists looking at a map and taking photos. SHUTTERSTOCK

But the question remains: who will come? Citizens of the United Kingdom, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Nordic states like Sweden or Norway are our main visitors every year. And this, Spain is already the world leader in the number of hotel reservations, according to the Travelgate portal, which analyzes 3,000 million daily searches on the Net. It is expected that, if they can leave their country, those from the United Kingdom will be the majority, although it is from August, as well as those of Portugal, given the proximity.

Regarding regions, Andalusia accounts for 31.66% of the interest, with specially desired enclaves such as the Costa del Sol, Cádiz or Almería. Then came the Canary Islands (16.7%), the Valencian Community (13.4%), the Balearic Islands (13.01%) and Catalonia (9.69%).

Optimism in the sector

The reserves for the fortunate islands do not only affect the summer period, but due to their special weather, they extend throughout the year, so it is expected that from September and October tourists will continue to arrive, even more than in summer. In the case of the Balearic Islands , they have already launched a pilot program to attract the first German travelers.

The Minister of Consumer Affairs, Alberto Garzón, is clear that our country is very rich "in diversity of countries and pieces of a mestizo history of enormous cultural importance." In this sense, he believes that the arrival of tourists will occur, although less than in other years . "We look at centuries of cultures that left their mark on the peninsula and also a nature that makes you fall in love," he adds.

Pub with British flags in Benidorm. THE WORLD

Hugo Ortega, CEO of Fontecruz Hotels, with establishments in Ávila, Toledo, Seville and Lisbon, is also optimistic . "The international client is aware that drastic measures have been taken in our country to alleviate the coronavirus and see it as a positive message to return. But we must support it with messages of confidence and security," he explains.

The case of Benidorm

In this sense, the tourism companies in Benidorm are waiting with open arms for the English, since 75.4% of their foreign tourists come from cities such as London, Manchester or Edinburgh . In total figures, they represent around 5.5 million visitors a year , according to the Hotel Business Association of Benidorm and the Costa Blanca (Hosbec). Normal considering that the Alicante town is the preferred by the British to spend their holidays from all over the world, according to the travel portal Lastminute.

The President of Hosbec is clear that Benidorm's capacity to attract foreign tourism is extraordinary, second only to Spain in Madrid, Barcelona and the Canarian municipality of San Bartolomé de Tirajana . "We must bear in mind that it is a city of less than 70,000 inhabitants without AVE and without the budget of these other cities, so we must be very proud," says Toni Mayor, President of Hosbec.

This year marked by the coronavirus has also changed the profile of the foreign traveler who will visit us, since now there are more reservations by couples (44% of the total), while before those interested were mainly families with children. These, this time, have preferred to stay at home.

According to the criteria of The Trust Project

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