Benidorm: Visitors return to beach after months of lockdown

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Attracting over a million UK tourists on average each year, Benidorm is a holiday hotspot for Britons. With Europe looking ahead to safely reopening travel with a green pass, the popular resort has outlined plans to reinstate the Covid safety regulations across its beaches.

According to the city council, beaches will be divided up into “squares” which visitors will be required to stay within while sunbathing.

The plans were proposed on February 24 by the region’s mayor Toni Perez.

He explained the proposal will see a return to “an extension to the organisation and operation model that we implemented in June 2020 under the ‘Benidorm Beach Safety’ project, on the basis of guaranteeing capacity, physical distancing and health security, as well as [guaranteeing] the enjoyment of all users.”

Parts of Spain are looking to de-escalate some of their coronavirus lockdown restrictions in the coming months.

He explained: “It is necessary to adapt the configuration and services of our beaches to stop the spread of the virus, despite figures improving, although we anticipate an increase in beaches users for the months of March and April, a period that includes two important holiday moments such as the San José bridge and Holy Week.”

The proposal will see the sand divided into “16 square metres” to “physical distancing and personal observance of these measures”.

Last year, beachgoers were required to stay in their boxes unless they were venting into the water to swim.

While the beach regulations are ongoing, the mayor has stated “the rental service of sunbeds and umbrellas will be suspended, so that no fee will be paid to the company for the integral management of the beaches.”

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Mr Perez added: “The implementation of all these services is one more example that the city as a tourist destination is fully prepared for the enjoyment of beach users while always keeping health security at the core of all actions and strategies that are undertaken by the City Council.”

In summer 2020, many parts of Spain made it mandatory to wear masks when on public beaches.

According to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) one of Spain’s key measures includes the “obligatory use of face masks in public spaces” both indoors and outdoors.

It adds there are “capacity restrictions in place at beaches or other public areas such as the delineation of plots and the use of booking systems.”

Britons looking to visit Spain either for essential reasons as set out by the Government or in the future are advised to “refer to local authorities for information on the measures in place.”

With Spain part of the European Union, it is likely tourists visiting the nation will be subject to travel specifications put in place by the bloc.

President of the Commission Ursula von der Leyen has set out plans for a new “EU green pass”.

The pass would work much like a “vaccine passport”, providing information on whether a traveller has been vaccinated against or tested for Covid.

It may also detail whether they have had the virus in the past.

Ms von der Leyen stated: “As for the question of what the digital green passport could look like: we will submit a legislative proposal in March.”

She explained the digital green pass “should facilitate Europeans’ lives”.

She said: “The aim is to gradually enable them to move safely in the European Union or abroad – for work or tourism.”

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