Tourism between Spain, Portugal to be suspended due to coronavirus - Portuguese govt

Record ID: 1464713

  • Title: Tourism between Spain, Portugal to be suspended due to coronavirus - Portuguese govt
  • Date: 15th March 2020
  • Summary: LISBON, PORTUGAL (MARCH 15, 2020) (REUTERS) PORTUGAL PRIME MINISTER ANTONIO COSTA ENTERING ROOM (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) PORTUGUESE PRIME MINISTER ANTONIO COSTA SAYING: "Tomorrow, after a meeting between EU's health and internal affairs ministers adopt measures to be taken on the external borders, the internal affairs ministers of Spain and Portugal will adopt measures ensuring the border will only be open for the transit of goods, for cross-border workers and it will be prohibited tourism activities." COSTA SPEAKING (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) PORTUGUESE PRIME MINISTER ANTONIO COSTA SAYING: "We understand this border restriction measure has to cover the Easter period. We all know that during Easter there is a good tradition of Spaniards visiting us. This year is not the ideal year for these visits to happen and therefore, without any hostility, I believe it is necessary that during this period there are no tourist activities for Portuguese in Spain, Spanish in Portugal because we all have to limit our movements, not only within cities, not only within our countries but on a global scale." CAMERAS COSTA LEAVING
  • Embargoed: 29th March 2020 21:14
  • Keywords: COVID-19 Costa Lisbon Portugal Spain borders coronavirus pandemic prime minister
  • Location: LISBON, PORTUGAL
  • City: LISBON, PORTUGAL
  • Country: Portugal
  • Topics: Health/Medicine
  • Reuters ID: LVA001C55XTFR
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Spain and Portugal will agree to place restrictions on tourism between the two countries from Monday to curb the spread of coronavirus, Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa said on Sunday (March 15).
    Costa told reporters the travel restrictions should guarantee that free movement of goods continues and protect the rights of workers, but that "there must be a restriction (on travelling) for the purposes of tourism or leisure."
    "There will be no tourism between Portugal and Spain in the coming months," he said, adding that the measure is important as there is a significant flow of tourists between the two countries during the fast-approaching Easter season.
    Portugal's tourism industry is already feeling the impact of the coronavirus, with the country's AHP hotels association saying on Thursday the hotel sector could lose 30% to 50% of its revenues between March and June.
    Portugal attracts millions of foreign visitors annually. The tourism sector, which accounts for nearly 15% of gross domestic product, was a key driver of the country's recovery from the 2010-14 debt crisis.
    Spain put its 47 million inhabitants under partial lockdown on Saturday (March 14) as part of a 15-day state of emergency to combat the epidemic in Europe's second worst-affected country after Italy.
    Even though Portugal has reported 245 confirmed cases of coronavirus, far below Spain's 7,753, the Portuguese government declared a "state of alert" on Friday (March 13) until April 9, when the situation will be re-evaluated.
    To contain the coronavirus, Portugal suspended classes across the education system, from kindergartens to universities, both public and private.
    (Production: Miguel Pereira)
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