THE average Spanish resident will spend between €500 and €1,500 on their holidays this year, with three in 10 set to increase their budget from last year and 16% reducing it.
Generous discounts for 'staycations' offered in eight regions on accommodation, food and activities
04/06/2021
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.
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.
It is open to anyone already on the padrón, or municipal roll, in any town, city or village in the region, aged at least 18, and who books via holiday accommodation or travel agencies that have signed up to the scheme.
The land-locked western region of Extremadura has two blue-flag beaches (yes, you did read that correctly) in the province of Badajoz, one of Spain's most spectacular and best-preserved Roman 'cities', nature reserves, and is just over the border from western Andalucía and from Portugal.
Anyone from anywhere in the country, not necessarily Extremadura itself, who travels within it can obtain discounts of between 50% and 75% on accommodation, leisure activities and guided tours, provided they book a minimum of a two-night stay in hotels, apartments or similar which have signed up to the scheme.
North-western Galicia is offering a pre-paid card through its scheme Quedamos en Galicia 2021 ('Let's Meet in Galicia 2021') until November 1, which can be offset against costs in participating accommodation up to a maximum of €300 – again, anyone resident in Spain can use it, whether or not they live in Galicia.
One of the most flexible in its terms and conditions is the discount card offered by the northern coastal region of the Basque Country, which is open to anyone aged at least 18 and resident in Spain, not necessarily in the region, until the end of this year.
It provides discounts on purchases, of €5, €10 or €20 and up to two tokens of a total value of €40 can be used – purchases of at least €20 attract a €5 discount, and those of €40 or more get €10 off, when made in establishments tied to the scheme such as restaurants, bars and tourism activities.
A discount of €20 is given for minimum spends of €60 in participating accommodation.
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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.
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.
It is open to anyone already on the padrón, or municipal roll, in any town, city or village in the region, aged at least 18, and who books via holiday accommodation or travel agencies that have signed up to the scheme.
The land-locked western region of Extremadura has two blue-flag beaches (yes, you did read that correctly) in the province of Badajoz, one of Spain's most spectacular and best-preserved Roman 'cities', nature reserves, and is just over the border from western Andalucía and from Portugal.
Anyone from anywhere in the country, not necessarily Extremadura itself, who travels within it can obtain discounts of between 50% and 75% on accommodation, leisure activities and guided tours, provided they book a minimum of a two-night stay in hotels, apartments or similar which have signed up to the scheme.
North-western Galicia is offering a pre-paid card through its scheme Quedamos en Galicia 2021 ('Let's Meet in Galicia 2021') until November 1, which can be offset against costs in participating accommodation up to a maximum of €300 – again, anyone resident in Spain can use it, whether or not they live in Galicia.
One of the most flexible in its terms and conditions is the discount card offered by the northern coastal region of the Basque Country, which is open to anyone aged at least 18 and resident in Spain, not necessarily in the region, until the end of this year.
It provides discounts on purchases, of €5, €10 or €20 and up to two tokens of a total value of €40 can be used – purchases of at least €20 attract a €5 discount, and those of €40 or more get €10 off, when made in establishments tied to the scheme such as restaurants, bars and tourism activities.
A discount of €20 is given for minimum spends of €60 in participating accommodation.
Related Topics
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