Brits heading for the Canary Islands face a major change in travel rules from tomorrow (December 10) after the regional government decided to defy Spain over coronavirus tests.

As of December 10, the Canary government says international holidaymakers won’t be required to take a full PCR test within 72 hours of travel as required by the rest of Spain.

Instead, they will be allowed in on the back of negative rapid antigen tests which are a fraction of the price of the PCRs.

The Canary government is insisting it has the authority to make its own rules over who and how people are admitted to the islands and does not intend to enter into a head-on clash with the Spanish executive. As yet, there has been no official reaction from the Spanish government.

Canary president, Ángel Víctor Torres says the decree will come into effect tomorrow, Thursday, December 10, after its publication today in the Official Gazette of the Canary Islands.

International travellers would then be admitted with a negative result from either a rapid test or a PCR.

The rapid tests are said to be not only substantially cheaper but quicker and more accessible than a PCR.

Tourism leaders have been voicing their concerns over making people pay up to £100 for a PCR as for a family of four, this could add up to £400 to the cost of their holiday.

The objections in the Canaries were very strong as hoteliers said the rule was putting a brake on the revival of the islands whose traditional winter season begins on December 1st.

A statement issued by the Canary government today confirmed: “This decree is based on the powers derived from the State of Alarm – whose delegated competent authority is the regional president – in the condition of Ultraperipheral Region (RUP) that the Canary Islands have within the European Union; the Statute of Autonomy; the indications of the Public Health and microbiology technicians; and the accumulated experience with the tourist law decree that establishes the obligation to present a certificate of antigen test or PCR with a negative result in regulated accommodation establishments in the Canary Islands.”

“In this sense, the pioneering system promoted by the Government of the Canary Islands has proven to be reliable, since during the last five weeks, in which around 250,000 travellers have arrived in the islands, there have been very few cases of tourists who tested positive.”

“The Government of the Canary Islands maintains negotiations within the framework of an open understanding with the Ministry of Health to harmonise the regional standard with the national one.”

The Canary government had been warning for weeks that it would “go it alone” and defy Spain’s rule.

Although Tenerife is still under special measures and there are coronavirus safety restrictions across all of the islands, the incidence of Covid-19 is still very low. The Canaries are also the only place in Spain where Brits can visit without the need to go into quarantine on their return to the UK.

Source: Mirror