Is the future bright for Marbella Tourism?

Hopeful times ahead for 2021 while vaccination programmes around the world are rolled out

Is the future bright for Marbella Tourism?

That’s the 60 million dollar question for all of us working in the travel sector! Scouring the papers on a daily basis I find it hard to know if any authority says can be taken with any element of truth, and sadly it would appear that the subject of Covid is being highly politicised by some media also.  However, keeping a forward-thinking approach to the situation is important.

The Spanish Tourist Board say they are confident and hopeful that Spain will open up to full tourism by March.  Music to our ears in the My Guide Marbella office and to that of the businesses we know and love here in Marbella! Tourism Minister Reyes Maroto said that Spain's "priority in 2021 is to reactivate tourism and resume safe mobility on a global scale as soon as possible."

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced previously that Spain's strategy was to "vaccinate the population at the highest possible rate" which would enable the country to be progressively better prepared to receive international tourists. The opening of the country for tourism is said to be on the basis that over 70% of the Spanish population is vaccinated.  The vaccine is already being distributed in Spain however we are in the first phase of 4 so those that are receiving it include Doctors, Healthcare Professionals and the most elderly in residential homes.  The vaccination statistics are published daily on google but can also be seen here and the Spanish Vaccination programme is detailed clearly on the government website

The dilemma, however, is whether Spain will have the necessary jabs to reach those figures, indeed at the time of writing this only 4% of the Spanish population has been vaccinated. However, this morning our Health Minister spoke to the press about the delivery of nearly 7 million doses before March so thus we remain hopeful.  I also suppose however that when our Tourist Minister talks of opening the country to tourists, said "tourists" will need to also be vaccinated or continue to provide negative test results so our ability to open will be part of a global picture, not just the vaccination stats of Spain but nonetheless it is comforting that our Tourist Minister wants to instill confidence in the Global Travel Market.

As it happens the UK seem to be storming ahead with their vaccinations with over 10 million jabbed so far, this is good news for the Marbella tourism market as the British are a close second only to the French when it comes to tourist visitors. As for the rest of Europe, who knows, with their vaccination programs in total disarray and Brussels imploding over supplies of the vaccine making accurate predictions of the future is no easy task!

Personally, I believe that the "pandemic" will come to a rapid end come the spring and hopefully, we can look forward to a rip-roaring Marbella season. Only time will tell but My Guide Marbella remain hopeful and will continue to encourage holiday planning and dreams of travel as well as producing an abundance of up to date information about our beloved Marbella!

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