In another attempt to ensure the tourism sector revives this summer, by establishing Spain as a safe and secure tourism destination, the Spanish Government has launched two new plans/campaigns names the Operation Summer and the Safe Tourism Plan. Safe Summer Tourism Destination

The launching of both was announced through a press release of the Spanish Government which notes the move was taken in a bid to position Spain as a safe and reference destination for national and international tourism.

“The Secretary of State for Security of the Ministry of the Interior has activated Operation Summer 2020 in the nine Autonomous Communities with the greatest tourist influx in its district and has deployed the Safe Tourism Plan throughout the national territory in order to guarantee the protection of the campaign summer that now begins and consolidate Spain as one of the safest tourist destinations on the planet,” Government’s press release announces.

It also notes that these plans have been presented by the Secretary of State for the Interior, Rafael Pérez Ruiz, and the Secretary of State for Tourism, Isabel Maria Oliver Sagreras last Thursday in Malaga.

Presenting the plans, Secretary Pérez Ruiz pointed out that both Secretariats of State are working together so that in this exceptional summer, both Spanish citizens and foreigners who visit Spain can enjoy a safe vacation.

Whereas, Secretary Oliver Sagreras noted that Spain has prepared itself rigorously and thoughtfully to guarantee the highest standards of health safety for both national and international visitors.

“For this purpose, more than twenty guides have been prepared, which cover the entire tourist value chain and are a worldwide reference. We want to offer tourists confidence and send them a very clear message: Spain is a safe destination,” she said.

Only this week, SchengenVisaInfo.com reported that Spain is currently the hardest-hit European country in terms of COVID-19 cases, but as the numbers of infections are gradually declining, the Spanish people are now facing a new crisis.

The outlook for Spain’s economy is looking grim, particularly its leading tourism sector. By the end of the year, economists predict that unemployment rates in Spain will rise from 14 per cent to a whopping 23 per cent.

Spain is also the twelfth largest economy in the world and the fourth largest in the European Union. But, according to the European Commission, the Mediterranean country is now facing an almost 11 per cent decrease in the economy by the end of this year as a result of the coronavirus lockdown.

To help recover the tourism sector, the Government allocated more than 4.2 billion euros, most of which will be spent on covering government guarantees for tourism sector loans, a moratorium on mortgage payments, and a lowering of airport taxes for airlines.

Operation Summer Plan: 40k Guards to Be Deployed in Tourism Areas

Operation Summer, which began on July 1, will last until August 31, during which period over 40,000 National Police and Civil Guard officers will be deployed in the autonomous communities of Andalusia, Asturias, the Canary Islands, Cantabria, the Valencian Community, Galicia, Madrid and Murcia, as well as in the Balearic Islands.

The operations in the territory of the latter will continue until September 30.

The primary purpose of this operation is to increase security in these tourist areas, by increasing surveillance and preventive control in urban and interurban communication routes, stations, ports, airports, hotels, beaches and camping sites.

In addition, this summer, the agents of both bodies will ensure compliance with health recommendations. Among other missions, they will guarantee social distance in public spaces of access, transit or stay and in the means of transport, as well as the use of the mask when it is mandatory or not possible to keep the security separation.

Safe Tourism Plan to Protect Tourists from Scams & Other Criminal Activity Safe Summer Tourism Destination

The primary purpose of the Safe Tourism Plan is to avoid the specific criminal activity that tourists, both national and foreign, may suffer throughout the national territory, both in their vacation or leisure stays and in outward or return of the same.

“To this end, the Ministry of the Interior has intensified preventive operational plans against travelling crime and theft in homes, which may be increased by the occupation of tourist apartments and in view of the foreseeable increase in the period of duration of the stay of national citizens in their second residences after the months of confinement,” the Government notes in its press release.

It also explains that the experts of the National Police and Civil Guard will also pay special attention to a possible increase in cyber-scams, given the considerable increase in the use of the internet to reserve accommodation or contract travel packages.