Travel: Spain welcomes back cruise ships. Ports open to tourist vessels

SPAIN will allow cruise ships to dock in its ports from June 7 and welcome back thousands of visitors as a valuable boost to its Covid hit holiday industry.

Cruise ships were banned a year ago as the coronavirus pandemic swept through Europe but falling Covid-19 infection rates and the soaring numbers of vaccinations have reversed the embargo – a number of high-profile infection events were linked to liners, their passengers and crews.

Now the Spanish maritime authorities have approved the reopening of ports to cruise ships – Spain is the second most popular destination for international cruises in Europe.

The transport ministry said: “Shipping companies will have to comply with measures established by the health ministry…to guarantee total security, both for cruise passengers and for the cities where they land.”

Spain relies heavily on its tourist industry as the second most visited country in the world and number of foreign visitors were down 80% last year as first lockdown and then a series of strict coronavirus health restrictions were imposed.

The country is ready to accept visitors from anywhere in the world from June 7 as long as arrivals are vaccinated.