The Canary Islands want their income-generating tourists back. Now the regional government of the archipelago has signed an insurance policy that will cover the costs of tourists who contract the coronavirus while on holiday in the islands.
All tourists who test positive for Covid-19 during their stay in one of the Canary Islands will – unless the person was unaware of the infection before the trip – be given access to free healthcare, repatriation and accommodation in cases where quarantine is required, according to a statement.
Tourism director Yaiza Castilla says the islands west of the African coast are the first Spanish region where tourists, both Spanish and foreign, are guaranteed virus-related expenses covered unless the sick person has their own insurance.
Tourism accounts for around 35 percent of the Canary Islands' economy. The archipelago has significantly lower virus rates than the rest of Spain, but the economy has nevertheless been hit hard by the pandemic – especially by the UK's quarantine decision for Britons returning home from Spain.
