Britain adds Spain to its green list of safe destinations
May 20, 2021, 1:59 pm

Britain adds Spain to its green list of safe destinations

Nathan Allen

A recovery in Spanish tourism this summer depends on the successful rollout of international vaccination certificates and Britain adding Spain to its green list of safe destinations, the chief executive of Melia Hotels (MEL.MC) said on Wednesday.

"If that happens, I believe we can hope for a good summer, though far off from 2019's levels," Gabriel Escarrer told Reuters on the sidelines of Madrid's Fitur global travel congress.

Just a fifth of the usual 250,000 attendees are expected to attend Fitur in person this year, as travel restrictions kept many away.

Since Britain classified Spain as an "amber list" destination, meaning returning travellers must self-isolate on arrival, the Mallorca-based hotel chain has seen more cancellations than reservations from Britons, Escarrer said.

"We know there is a lot of pent-up demand," he added, pointing to Portugal, where Melia hotel reservations from Britons surged 187% after London added the country to its green list this month.

Though arrivals from Britain - Spain's most important market - would not reach the nearly 19 million recorded in 2019, Escarrer predicts up to 4 million would come if restrictions were eased.

"Believe me, that would make all the difference," he said at Melia's socially distanced stand in Madrid's IFEMA congress hall.

But internationally accepted vaccination certificates will be the most important "detonator for the recovery," for Spain and at a European level.

Escarrer said hotels in future would set aside areas for those who have been vaccinated, with some resorts only accepting guests with proven immunity or a negative COVID-19 test.

In the meantime, Melia has been adapting its hotels with better ventilation, more outdoor dining spaces and standardised safety protocols to make guests feel more secure.

"Whether or not we bring the pandemic under control, these are trends that are here to stay," Escarrer said.

Source: Reuters

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”