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Spain says it is 'not discussing travel corridor with UK' despite reports

First passengers arrive from Zurich to Valencia after two months of quarantine,  in Valencia, Spain on May 21, 2020. (Photo by Jose Miguel Fernandez/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Passengers arrive from Zurich to Valencia after two months of quarantine. (Getty)

Spain has said it is not discussing a possible “travel corridor” which would allow UK tourists to enter the country on holiday without needing to self-isolate.

A Spanish foreign ministry source told news agency Reuters that British tourists would receive the same treatment as EU nationals once the Iberian nation decides to reopen its borders.

Government ministers have publicly said they are considering travel corridors, or so-called "air bridges" with countries with low infection rates, but there have not been any formal deals so far.

“Spain has called for a common (European Union-wide) approach to opening the borders. If this is not done, it will establish its own criteria,” the source said.

MADRID, SPAIN - MAY 15: Health controls at Terminal 4 of Madrid-Barajas Adolfo Suárez Airport on the day the order of the Ministry of Health comes into effect, by which all persons coming from abroad must be quarantined for 14 days after their arrival to Spain. From today, the Foreign Health teams will carry out health controls at ports and airports on May 15, 2020 in Madrid, Spain (Photo by Joaquín Corchero/Europa Press via Getty Images)
Health controls at Terminal 4 of Madrid-Barajas Adolfo Suárez Airport. (Getty)

“The UK is in a period of transition. This means that they will receive the same treatment as EU and Schengen countries for the opening (of borders to tourists), unless they stay out of it because of the epidemiological situation.”

A UK tourism lobby group previously said corridors allowing unrestricted movement with a number of countries would open from June 29.

Portugal has said it is discussing a travel corridor that would exempt British visitors returning from the country from that quarantine period, facilitating tourism.

But Spain has stated that under the terms of its lockdown easing, it only plans to start opening its borders to a foreign visitors on 1 July.

About 6,000 tourists from Germany have already been allowed fly to the Balearic Islands from June 15, two weeks before the country reopens its borders, to test how to restart tourism.

The UK, whose coronavirus death toll is the highest in Europe, introduced a 14-day quarantine for international arrivals on Monday.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office currently advises against non-essential overseas travel and a 14-day quarantine policy for international arrivals came into force on Monday.

UK campsites are experiencing a surge in bookings, while Auto Trader recently said interest in online adverts for caravans was up nearly a fifth compared with the same time last year.

Yahoo News has contacted the Department for Transport for comment.

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