The Spanish government has told the main players in the tourism industry gathered at the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) summit in Cancun (Mexico) that the digital certificate, whose legal basis is being developed in the European Union (EU) and which “will be fundamental in providing travellers with certainty”, will be operational in June.
According to the Secretary of State for Tourism, Fernando Valdés, the time has come to provide the means to give travellers certainty. Although the digital certificate “is not a magic wand”, it gives certainty and provides security, because tourists know that they can travel if they have been vaccinated, have a negative test if they are not immunised or have recovered from the disease”.
In addition, Valdés confirmed that Spain will take part in a pilot test of the digital certificate in May, so that “in June it will be ready to receive travellers” in safe conditions.
He also described as “excellent news” the announcement made by the President of the European Commission, Ursula Von der Leyen, regarding possible plans to allow the entry of US citizens who are fully vaccinated.
During his speech on a panel at the Tourism Summit, Valdés stressed that the arrival of the vaccine marks “a before and after” with respect to the situation experienced last summer and highlighted the “active role” of Spain and other countries in convincing countries that are less dependent on tourism that it is possible to resume mobility in a safe way.
At the summit’s gala dinner, the Secretary of State received the ‘Women Advocacy’ award on behalf of the Minister of Industry, Trade and Tourism, Reyes Maroto, in recognition of her commitment to the defence of women, her continued support for initiatives and platforms that favour the inclusion of female talent and the role she has played in giving visibility to women in all sectors of her ministerial portfolio, including tourism.