The travel agency initially told travelers that Spain would be open to all Britons, regardless of vaccine status, as long as they provided a negative test before departure. However, in the last disturbance of the Easter holidays, the decision was overturned within a few hours. The rapid shift was due to what the tourism committee called a “miscommunication” due to a “misinterpretation” of entry requirements published by the Spanish health department. “We apologize unconditionally,” said Pedro Medina, deputy director of the Spanish Tourism Office in the United Kingdom. British travelers aged 12 and over are still required to provide proof that they have been fully vaccinated at least 14 days before their arrival in Spain or to show a certificate of recovery from the coronavirus within 180 days of being positive. The travel agency added: “If more than 270 days have passed since the final dose, a booster vaccination certification is also required, except for adolescents aged 12 to 17 years.” On Twitter, Julia Lo Bue-Said, CEO of Advantage Travel Partnership, the UK’s largest independent consortium of travel agents and travel companies, described the reversal as a “spectacular blunder” and “mere madness”. However, children aged 12-17 can enter the country provided they show a negative PCR test within 72 hours of arriving in Spain. The announcement was first made in February, when the Spanish government said children aged 12-17 from non-EU countries no longer needed to be fully vaccinated. Spain, one of the UK’s most popular overseas holiday destinations, is among the many EU destinations that require anyone vaccinated more than 270 days ago to have a souvenir to enter the country.
