Britain made a mistake when it decided at the weekend to slap a quarantine on people traveling from Spain, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on Monday, saying much of the Mediterranean country had a lower coronavirus infection rate than the UK.
Sanchez was speaking just after Britain dealt a new blow to any hopes of reviving Spain’s tourism by extending guidance advising against all non-essential travel, which already applied to mainland Spain, to include the Balearic and Canary Islands.
Last year, Britons made up over a fifth of foreign visitors to Spain, which relies heavily on tourism. FILE PHOTO: Spain's new Industry Minister Reyes Maroto reacts during her taking over ceremony at the Ministry of Economy in Madrid, Spain, June 7, 2018. REUTERS/Sergio Perez Sanchez said that the two archipelagos, as well as the regions of Valencia and Andalusia, had a lower infection rate than Britain.The blanket quarantine has been criticised by tourism groups as disproportionate and impulsive.
Spain's Agriculture Minister Luis Planas arrives to attend the first cabinet meeting at the Moncloa Palace in Madrid, Spain, January 14, 2020. REUTERS/Susana Vera/Files
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