According to the Spanish publication El Pais, the Spanish government hopes that 2021 will be the year in which the economy recovers. The administration is well aware that one of the main pillars of the economy, tourism, will fight to return to a kind of normalcy this year, given the coronavirus pandemic.
To solve this problem, the coalition government - consisting of the Socialist Party (PSOE) and junior partner Unidas Podemos - is looking for ways to accelerate the return of tourism to past years. One of the key factors considered is the creation of a vaccination passport at European level, which could help bring back foreign tourists.
The Minister of Industry, Trade and Tourism, Reyes Maroto, has not yet confirmed, but the Easter holiday will be destroyed due to the pandemic - in terms of tourism. She has repeatedly said that everything will depend on the epidemiological situation.
A few more difficult months will follow due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In today's European context, Reyes is one of the leaders committed to the idea of a vaccine passport to ensure that tourists can travel safely.
"We are working so that we can count on the common vaccination passport within the scope of the European Commission", said during a visit to the city of Valladolid. "We are also working with the OECD [Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development] on initiatives to ensure safe travel.".
"Spain promotes a vaccination certificate and works to help restore mobility", explained the ministry's official spokesmen. Meanwhile, the sector acknowledged that a few very difficult months are coming.
The document from the Ministry of Economy provides a summary of how the pandemic affected the sector and shows that it was the worst affected by the pandemic and that this will not change soon. "Hospitality is the most affected sector, closing the year with a level of activity that was 41% of that of the end of 2019", is shown in the document. "There are related sectors, such as recreational and transport activities, with activity levels representing 70% and 80% of the pre-covid situation."
The regions most affected by the pandemic are those that rely most on tourism.
The regions most affected by the pandemic from an economic point of view are those that rely most on tourism, especially the Balearic and Canary Islands of Spain, as well as the provinces of Madrid and Barcelona.
A future improvement in the economic situation is subject to many unknowns, including the vaccination process, which is also taking place in Spain. According to the report, mass immunization of the population will bring significant benefits, even before the immunity of the staff is reached, for two main reasons: it will reduce the number of deaths and the number of hospitalizations in intensive care units (ICUs).