The tourism business associations of the Canary Islands (Ashotel, FEHT, Tourist Federation of Lanzarote and Asofuer) have asked the Government of the Canary Islands to seek the necessary legal and competence channels in health matters that allow them to apply in the Islands the antigen tests for all travelers arriving in the Archipelago, not only those from the peninsula, in the face of the "shameful inaction" of the State Government.
“Pedro Sánchez's Executive committed last week together with the Regional Government to harmonize a single standard for passenger control, aimed at authorizing antigen tests, before the beginning of December”, say the presidents of the Canary Islands tourism business associations.
In a statement, the tourism business associations of the Canary Islands affirm that "this new breach by the state government leads the sector to the only card they have left in their hand, that of mobilizations in the street in defense of the economic engine of the Islands and of the employment that tourism moves, if in the next few days the control via antigens of all travelers entering the Archipelago is not allowed·
In the opinion of the tourism business associations of the Canary Islands, "the imminent de-confinement of the British population, the main issuing market for tourists to the Canary Islands, puts the accelerator to the maximum on the implementation of unified health control measures to relaunch tourism in the Archipelago".
However, they describe as a "disappointment" the International Tourism Reconstruction Conference, held yesterday from La Palma and co-organized by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), together with the Ministry of Tourism headed by Reyes Maroto, stating that it made "evident the lack of coordination and disinterest in boosting the activity that the Islands urgently need."
"The aforementioned International Conference included a series of conclusions, presented at its closing by the minister, which represent a huge disappointment for the sector", say the tourism business associations, which state that "measures proposed such as refocusing the activity towards a green and sustainable path or those referring to the flexibility of reservations and greater added value of tourism businesses are useless in a scenario in which many companies are at risk of closure."
“Joke”
In the opinion of the tourism business associations of the Canary Islands, "the central government is once again excusing itself in the European Union, when for months member countries have already launched controls at airports, with rapid antigen tests". In addition, they point out that "the European Commission itself launched a recommendation and protocol on this type of rapid test on November 20."
"It is also not understood that a PCR is required to enter Spain from foreign countries and then an antigen test is done on those who do not bring this test done. It is a joke to all travelers and to the Canary Islands, which demands the admission of these rapid antigen tests in the face of the imminent reactivation of vacation trips from the main issuing countries”, they consider.
For all these reasons and "given the abandonment of the State", the tourism business associations of the Canary Islands reiterate to the regional Executive "to assert its powers to the maximum legal extent possible, to extend to any traveler entering the Islands the Canary decree 17/2020 that governs in the Islands since the end of October and that allows antigen tests for those staying in hotel and non-hotel establishments from the peninsular territory."
“It is vital, within how abnormal and complex a pandemic like the one we are experiencing in this 2020 is in itself, to safely facilitate the flow of tourists and at the same time guarantee the safety of residents and tourists themselves”, they point out.
“We were the first to bet on security and requested tests at origin and destination; we asked for it since last April. Throughout the summer, with the reopening of hotel businesses from July, we witnessed a state policy of zero control over the movement of tourists and passengers. Now that we have entered our high season, we see that these necessary controls are nothing more than stones in the wheels”, conclude the top representatives of the tourism business associations.
