More Lockdown News from The Canaries

[Sunseeker]

This is not official yet, but just to give you an idea that these possible dates that are currently on the table should the virus remain on its present course.

May 12 small shops, workshops and dealerships opening

May 23 opening of public parks.

May 25 opening of personal services.

May 26 opening of the national transit of the population.

June 1 opening of cafes, restaurants and bars.

June 6 opening of the study center (does not mean returning the students to the classrooms).??? No idea what this means.

June 7 opening of hotels and tourist accommodation.***

June 19 opening of the international transit of the population.

June 23 opening for the performance of shows and sports.

These are estimated dates. This note has been passed to me and it is what the government is considering if everything goes as it has been up to now. As you can see, until May 26 it will not be possible to move around normally.

***Unless the air traffic returns to normal with flights coming and going there does not seem to be much point in opening hotels and holiday accommodation on 7th June without customers. Maybe it is just to give the staff an opportunity to give accommodations a deep clean before the flights and customers begin returning later in the month.

[Sunseeker]

Below is an extract from TheTimeshare Consumer Association (TCA) Blogsite.

This is not necessarily what is going to happen but is simply a scenario that has been put before the Spanish Parliament. Whether it has been or will be accepted is not clear at this moment in time. (1.00pm Wed 29th May)

Some reports say that on the Spanish Islands. Baleirics and Canaries, people may be allowed out to walk from Saturday 2nd May. Other reports say it will be Monday 4th May before that can happen.

Also any easing of the lockdown is totally dependent upon how the virus reacts to any easing. So each stage is not cast in stone but is dependent upon ongoing events. So as it stands at the moment the scenario below could well happen but it also could be the case that it alters.

They also go on to say that Timeshare Resorts could reopen in mid May..

But with the flights from other countries being restricted the opening of resorts could well be a pointless exercise.!


What reopens when?

• Small businesses and hotels can open from 11 May, but social distancing will remain in force
• Though some schools will reopen in late May, most will stay closed until the new term begins in September.
• Restaurants can start opening their terraces from mid-May, but they must not be more than 30% full during the first phase
• Religious services can resume on a limited basis from 11 May, at no more than one third of the building’s capacity
• Theatres and cinemas will reopen from late May, but again must be no more than a third full
• Shops can open at half capacity from around the end of June, with two metres (6ft) between shoppers
• Beaches are expected to reopen in late June

Each phase of the de-escalation plan will last at least two weeks, and in the best-case scenario, the process will last eight weeks in all of Spain

[helpmate2]

Exactly right.

As this is said to be a new virus. Nobody can predict what will happen next and we have seen Germany lift restrictions too early which has now prompted a spike and the cases of infections have gone up again over there by 30%.
What this will and has done is to make other countries more cautious as to how they go about creating and allowing a New Normal. I think we should just wait and see and allow things to happen as and when the authorities see fit.
By all means keep us informed but we have to recognize that events and new data can change the status quo from one day to the next.

Stay safe and follow the authorities guidelines.

[Sunseeker]

The lifting of some of the lockdown on the islands is showing little activity. Some Barbers and Hairdressers are now open for business again. No other shops, cafes, bars or restaurants are open as yet . I did pass a hardware shop that was open but other than the supermarkets and tobacconists/newspaper shops all are still closed as of 12 noon 4th May.

[KEITH HURST]

Its a bit far for a haircut but I am tempted

[Sunseeker]

Monday promises to be the start of Phase 3 here on the Canary Islands.

With the opening of the Hardware Shops in Phase 2 we have seen and heard quite a lot of activity behind the scenes as sand, cement, wood, paint and power tools became available again and businesses take the opportunity to spruce up their premises in readiness for an influx of tourists. Unfortunately it is not an influx they need, it is a deluge and I am afraid it is not going to happen with the Brits being conspicuous by their absence until July at the earliest and they will not be in the numbers required to make much of an impact on the economy if and when they do begin to arrive.

The British economy has to first recover from the huge hit it has taken from this pandemic and I am sure that the British Government would sooner see British money being spent at home. Brits come here for the sunshine but plenty of sunshine has been available in Britain this spring which encourages more people to stay home. Then we have the uncertainty of quarantine which is off-putting for many tourists and I am sure that the British Government would much rather see thousands of pounds being spent at home as every thousand spent mean £200 via VAT going into the Exchequer to aid the necessary economic recovery.

Scandinavian and German tourists will be the first tourists to begin to arrive here but their numbers just do not add up enough to make a difference so I am afraid that the outlook is bleak on the islands for the foreseeable future.

[helpmate2]

Not just VAT but don`t forget the tax on profits that are made by some, but not all businesses, that you spend your money with in the UK. So the £200 can turn into substantially more for the treasury than just the VAT.

[Sunseeker]

Despite moving into phase 3 of the lockdown here on the islands it is noticeable that, particularly in the tourist dominated beach fronts and the streets close by, there is very little sign of bars cafes and particularly restaurants beginning to open again. Hotels too remain closed.
The reasons behind this lack of activity is simple to understand once we realise that the government or tax payer is currently subsidising the wages of people employed in the tourist industry to the tune of 70% and once the businesses reopen then that subsidy ceases. That coupled with the fact that there are few tourists coming in means that all but the smaller, owner run businesses will remain closed until the subsidy is removed or the flights resume and the tourists return in sufficient numbers to warrant businesses reopening.

[Sunseeker]

The current lockdown in mainland Spain is not being reflected in the big progress on the pandemic in the Canary Islands and it is now intended according to media reports to lift the lockdown completely on the islands by Monday 14th June.9 (which is around 3 weeks earlier than the mainland and 1 week earlier than expected).
When I say completely it means that social distancing 1.5 mtrs. is to be kept in place and masks are to be still worn on public transport and in shops but otherwise greater freedom for all can be enjoyed.
I suspect that this is in the hope that it will kickstart tourism but until and unless the Brits are allowed back without the need to quarantine for 14 days on their return to the UK then this kickstart is just not going to happen and Hotels and Restaurants will simply remain closed until sustainable numbers of tourists are back and spending once more.

On a more sobering note.
There is a widely held opinion over here that masks are here to stay not just in the short term but possibly for years to come.

[Sunseeker]

It seems that the Government in The Canaries has now had second thoughts around the reopening on Monday 14th June and it has now been put back.

Without the British tourists it would have been a waste of time and few establishments would have bothered to reopen.

We have to assume that as long as the UK intends to quarantine tourists on their return home there will be no point in lifting restrictions over here and risking the possibility of a second wave.

[Sunseeker]

As of one minute past midnight last night the state of emergency in Spain was lifted and so things can now begin to get back to normal here on the islands. I understand that some flights from Manchester resumed today so some long term tourists may well begin to return over the next couple of weeks which in turn will mean that some restaurants will hopefully reopen. Some restrictions remain in place such as the distancing rule which has now been brought down from 2 mtrs to 1.5 mtrs and it is still compulsory to wear masks in shops and on public transport. Hopefully the British government will remove the need for people flying in to Britain to quarantine for 2 weeks on their return which will allow the British holidaymakers to have their one or two weeks holiday here on the islands and bring in much needed revenue for the tourist industry which contributes so much to the Spanish economy. It is just now a matter of everybody being sensible and taking no chances and risking activities that could lead to a second spike.

[Sunseeker]

Just heard from someone trying to return to Italy from the islands. They have had 5 flight dates cancelled so far. Very hot here today but signs of more places beginning to look towards reopening. Not seen any restaurants opening as yet so it is mainly small owner run establishments that are showing some signs of life. A few areas of beach are open and some beach bars open but many beaches and bars remain closed.

[Sunseeker]

Well. After what promised to be a few weeks of relative normality it is all up in the air again. We have no virus problems here on the islands and hotels and timeshare resorts were beginning to reopen but the plug has been pulled again by the UK Government. It only makes sense if this quarantine on return to UK announcement is being used as a pawn in the cat and mouse Brexit negotiations?

All may not be as it seems on the surface !