The authorities of popular Spain announced the extension of last year's smoking ban in the four most visited locations and ten beaches. Travelers who fail to comply will be fined. According to the Spanish media, citing a decree from the government of the kingdom, the measure will come into force in July, one of the peak months for tourism.
If in the 2021 season the ban was mainly preventive in nature and did not reach fines, then in the current one, the authorities promised to act tougher, in connection with this, the Spanish government proposed to extend the previously introduced ban on smoking in public places, including terraces and beaches. The fine for smoking will be 30 euros (2,700 rubles). However, the new smoke-free law, which is also expected to introduce an additional ban on smoking in private cars, will not be fully developed until 2023.
As part of the anti-smoking program, the country's Ministry of Health called for higher prices for tobacco through additional taxes, while the current law prohibits smoking in many closed public places. On the other hand, café and bar owners are expected to actively campaign against any changes to existing laws.
Recall that earlier the Spanish authorities introduced a requirement for tourists from third countries, including Russians arriving in the country, to carry an amount equal to 100 euros per day. The same requirement applies to visa applicants. Read the details in the article “Russians need to prove that they have 100 euros a day to enter Spain.”
“…foreigners intending to enter the national territory must continue to prove that they have a minimum amount of €100 per person per day, and those who intend to stay in Spain a minimum of €900 or its legal equivalent in foreign currency, provided that they are required by the officials responsible for the control of entry into Spanish territory and under the conditions established by the aforementioned order,” states the EUR-Lex magazine.
Such a requirement is introduced on the basis that third-country nationals, i.e. travelers from non-EU and non-Schengen countries (including Russians) must prove that they can support themselves during their stay in the Schengen area.
Tourism-dependent Spain has shown solid signs of recovery in the sector, as it reached 71 percent of pre-pandemic levels in February alone. For example, data from the Spanish Institute of Statistics (INE) showed that the number of international arrivals in the second month of the year peaked at 3.2 million, while spending exceeded 3.7 billion euros, which is 78 percent of the pre-Covid 2019 spending level. The same source showed that the British have traditionally remained the leading tourist market in Spain, accounting for 18.3 percent of total arrivals, while the largest spending market was led by the French, who spent even more than before the pandemic: from 385 million euros to 349 million euros in 2021.
For those who care about a healthy lifestyle, we recommend reading: “The doctor named an amazing reason why people cannot lose weight.”
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