Coronavirus: Spain considers reopening land borders with France and Portugal this month
Countries in Europe are beginning to reopen to international travellers, with many keen to allow tourists to visit this summer.
Thursday 4 June 2020 14:31, UK
Spain has announced it is considering plans to reopen its land borders with France and Portugal from 22 June.
The country shut its borders in mid-March to prevent the spread of COVID-19, with only Spaniards, cross-border workers and truck drivers able to cross into neighbouring countries.
Spanish tourism minister Reyes Maroto said the country would probably lift quarantine measures for travellers coming from Portugal and France at the same time.
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Foreign visitors to Spain will no longer have to undergo a two week quarantine on arrival in the country from the start of July.
But it is not yet clear whether British tourists will be immediately allowed to travel, as authorities have said the first tourists will be from countries at similar stages of their epidemic to Spain.
Other European countries have also announced plans to reopen their borders.
Germany is intending to lift its travel warning for European countries from 15 June, but may still advise against travel to specific countries, including the UK.
France is planning to lift restrictions the same day.
Meanwhile Italy has already opened to international travellers, who do not currently have to quarantine on arrival.
Cyprus is also accepting visitors from other countries as long as they have a similar level of coronavirus to their own - the UK is not currently on the list.
The island's authorities have promised to cover the holiday costs of anyone who tests positive for coronavirus after travelling to Cyprus, in a move it hopes will draw visitors back.
The Cypriot government said it would pay for accommodation, medicine and food for patients and their families.
"We wanted to create this package so people don't feel afraid," Cyprus's deputy tourism minister Savvas Perdios told Sky News.
"We want to say that we will be there to take care of them and they don't need to worry about who is going to cover the cost of those two weeks in isolation for example or their hospitalisation."
He said he also wanted to reassure travellers that if somebody tested positive in their hotel, they wouldn't all have to go into a 14-day quarantine.
"Cyprus as a destination is ready to accept travellers," he said.
"At the moment the defining factor is the policy of the UK and other countries to put people into quarantine on their return.
"I certainly hope this is something that is going to be reevaluated in the coming weeks."
If it was Mr Perdios said he thought British tourists could be able to travel to Cyprus by the middle of July.
Travel outside of Europe is also slowly beginning to resume.
Virgin Atlantic has announced that it is restarting flights from London Heathrow to Hong Kong and Orlando, Florida, from 20 July.