Canary Islands To Test Tourists For Covid On Arrival

The Canary Islands are preparing to accept tourists again from 1st July on the condition they are tested for COVID-19 in their home countries or on arrival.

The president of the Canary Islands, Angel Victor Torres, told local media that tourists will start returning from 1st July, but they will need to be tested in their home country first.

He added: “If they cannot do it in their country of origin, we will do it here at the destination.”

According to reports, the Canary Islands president has been meeting with the presidents of the individual islands to discuss the best ways to reopen the tourism sector without causing another outbreak.

Torres pointed out that the situation “does not only depend on the Spanish government” but also on agreements with other countries.

He also said that the first reported case of COVID-19 in Spain was imported by a German tourist visiting the island of La Gomera on 31st January.

Like the Balearic Islands, the Canaries are among the least affected Spanish regions with around 2,000 confirmed cases each.

According to the latest figures from the Johns Hopkins University, Spain has registered 242,707 cases of COVID-19 and 27,136 related deaths.