SEVERAL of Spain's regions have launched discount passes offering sizeable price reductions for 'staycations' in a bid to reboot the tourism industry this summer.
Alicante's El Postiguet beach - cheaper to visit at the moment for the region's residents, and one of many in parts of Spain with ‘tourist discount’ schemes
Anyone resident in Spain who travels to the land-locked north-eastern region of Aragón and stays at least two nights in any of its three provinces – Zaragoza, Teruel and Huesca – can take advantage of discounts on bookings and activities of up to €300.
Accommodation must be listed on the Aragón Tourism Register, and leisure activities must be run by what is considered a 'tourism company', but anything 'official' will automatically be on the register in any case, such as hotels.
It may not extend to ski resorts, as the discount scheme may well end too early – initially it will run until July 15 and, if there is a budget for it, from September 1 to December 20; if the latter is the case, the promotion may well be in time for early-winter ski breaks.
Andalucía already had a 'tourist pass' in place, and has revived it for another year for anyone who stays in the southern region for at least two nights in accommodation bearing the kitemark 'Andalucía Segura', or 'Safe Andalucía' – on sight of the paid bill for the hotel, apartment complex or travel agency, the holidaymaker will be refunded up to 25% of accommodation costs, to a maximum of €200; this can rise to up to 50% for anyone who has a registered disability of at least 33% or who has not earned enough in the last year to be eligible to pay tax.
For stays of four nights or more, up to 50% will be reimbursed, to a maximum of €500, where the trip has been booked through an agency and the holidaymaker is aged over 65 or under 25.
The Balearic Islands has announced discounts of up to €100 for residents in the region who visit a different island from the one they live on and stay for at least two nights between mid-June and mid-November, but it does not cover the nights of June 23 and 27, which are bank holidays there.
Discounts in Castilla-La Mancha vary from €12 per room per night in hostels or one-star hotels and guest houses, to €30 per room per night for four- and five-star hotels, and €20 per room per night for two- and three-star hotels, any time until September.
The Greater Madrid region – which encompasses the towns and villages close to the capital as well as the city itself – gives a 'tourist pass' to anyone who requests it upon arrival, valid at any time during the month of travel but only running for 10 days from when it is downloaded or validated.
Up to €600 off the cost of overnight stays in tourism accommodation per person – starting with a minimum of one night – and money off services such as health and wellbeing, food, guided tours, sports activities and excursions or visits in general can be obtained.
Those who want to get up to 70% off the cost of food, excursions and sports activities up to a maximum of €600 in the east-coast region of the Comunidad Valenciana will have to move quickly, since the scheme ends on June 15; as yet, it has not been confirmed whether it will be renewed for a while longer.
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