After being one of the first countries in Europe to impose a strict lockdown in March, Spain was also one of the first to begin the gradual easing of the restrictions in May, a phased process that has led to the announcement by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez that the country will be opening its borders to tourists on June 21st—this is great news for Marbella!
Return of the Spanish summer season
That date will also see the return of free travel within Spain and its different regions, with visitors from Schengen countries, the UK and other nations with which Spain has a reciprocal agreement able to arrive at airports, ports and also cross the land border by train or car. The self-quarantine period of two weeks will also no longer apply, and from July 1st the border with Portugal will open as well, allowing an almost full return to normal movement between European countries.
The Balearics served as a pilot reopening case when it received the first of over 10,000 German visitors on June 17th as part of an overall move that sees the state of emergency lifted and powers returned to the regional government. Andalucía’s authorities have been keen to get the tourist sector back in action, though with the necessary safety steps, which include reduced capacity in public spaces, heightened cleaning and sanitary precautions, social distancing (where applicable) and special installations in potentially crowded areas designed to maintain space for all.
A surge in bookings
In this way, visitors from across Europe will be able to enjoy the famous Spanish summer season after all, with millions taking to the internet to search for holidays and book reservations for flights, hotels and private accommodation. According to travel websites, the number of web searches and bookings has rocketed across Europe, with Spain, and in particular Andalucía and the Costa del Sol, topping international rankings.
With new cases in Spain falling to new lows, many visitors across Europe are keen to enjoy the warm climate and open spaces of resort areas like Marbella, where travel and property sites are registering great interest from across the continent, including the UK. In a recent article, British newspaper, The Guardian, confirmed this trend as people help hotel, apartment and villa bookings rise rapidly and also have property agents busy searching for properties in Marbella and surroundings.
There appears to be a renewed appetite for modern homes in sunny areas such as Marbella, Estepona and Mijas, with open space and private areas such as communal grounds or private gardens.
Contact Nvoga for more information about the latest situation in Spain and a fantastic range of properties for sale or rent on the Costa del Sol.