Spain holidays: Spain scraps mandatory outdoor masks but rule still applies in some places

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Spain introduced mandatory outdoor mask wearing before Christmas due to the emergence of Omicron. Many scientists questioned the effectiveness of the rule in preventing Covid.

This week, the Spanish Government scrapped the rule but there are still some circumstances when British tourists will need to wear one.

According to a Government release, people over the age of six will need to wear one at mass open-air events.

This applies if attendees are standing and if a 1.5 metre distance can’t be maintained at a seated event.

British tourists will also need to wear masks in outdoor and indoor areas at airports, bus and train stations.

They are also mandatory on cable cars and in private transport if the occupants don’t live at the same address.

In closed spaces of ships and boats when a 1.5 metre distance can’t be maintained, masks are mandatory.

Despite Spain’s relaxation of mask rules, many British tourists have had to cancel holidays in the country this winter.

Spain’s rules on vaccination for over 12s mean that many British teenagers are unable to travel.

This is particularly a problem for families with children who have just turned 12 and will not have had a chance to get two vaccines in the UK.

Tourism officials in the popular Canary Island destinations of Fuerteventura, Lanzarote and Tenerife have criticised the Spanish Government for the rule.

The president of the Fuerteventura Tourism Association (ASOFUER) Antonio Hormiga, said: “We are losing a lot of British tourism in the Canary Islands because the central Government continues to fail to apply common sense.”

He added: “We need British tourists, we are not asking to lower our guard or stop applying the anti-Covid protocols, but we demand the measures be applied consistently to be a safe destination and, at the same time, to save our economy.”

Travel operator TUI said: “We’re already seeing a trend of ‘test-free holidays’ for customers who are fully vaccinated, as people look to go abroad with ease and without the added expense of testing.”

Greece and Portugal recently scrapped the need for a negative test for fully vaccinated Britons.

Some Spanish destinations fear that they will lose Britons to destinations with simpler entry rules.

British tourists need to be fully vaccinated to travel to Spain, including children over the age of 12.

If their second jab was more than 270 days ago they will also need to have had a booster vaccine.

British tourists will need to take a lateral flow test on or after day two after arrival in the UK until February 11.

After that, fully vaccinated British tourists will only need to fill in a passenger locator form after arriving in the UK.

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