TOURISM authorities in the Valencia region have released a series of recommendations for those who work in, or rely on, the industry for their income.
Due to the national quarantine, restaurants, bars and holiday accommodation are all shut – with the exception of hotels housing 'stranded' tourists or those which have been adapted with medical equipment to use as additional hospital facilities – and Easter is, effectively, cancelled, since the lockdown may continue until that weekend, all the fiesta parades have been called off, and contagion risk outside Spain's borders may mean foreign travel is strongly advised against in other countries as well as nationally.
But the advice from the Comunidad Valenciana's regional tourism board is valid for the rest of the country, and includes ways of making the enforced shutdown pay.
Luckily, it has not happened in high summer, when most of Spain, or at least its coasts, earns the majority of its holidaymaker income, says regional tourism secretary Francesc Colomer.
He assures his department is working on the industry 'returning with greater strength than ever' after quarantine is over – and in fact, the more optimistic traders nationwide are quietly confident that once the country 'regains its freedom', the public will 'go mad' and do everything they have not been able to do for weeks, and more besides.
“Public health is a priority, but the economy in general and tourism authorities, in particular, should be at the heart of services to the people,” Colomer says.
“It's time to stay at home in order to come back stronger than ever – because what's important is protecting ourselves so that, when it's all over, we'll be healthy enough to start travelling again.
“Tourism authorities are still working and are by your side, whether you're a large or small company or an entire destination, via our online channels, offering you information, help and training.
“Our aim is for the tourism industry to make an even bigger comeback once we've survived the pandemic.”
Make use of the down-time
'Empathy' is important, says Colomer – not least because the extreme stress of financial hardship, job loss and fears of another recession could cause the workforce to become physically debilitated; stress weakens the immune system, and would make people more vulnerable to contagion and put them at a greater risk of non-recovery if they catch the virus.
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