Canary Islands seeks 'safe corridors' to restart tourism

Minister of tourism Yaiza Castilla said reactivating air routes would only be possible by agreeing "safe corridors" with other countries.

The archipelago has entered the second phase of its Covid-19 de-escalation plan, which has seen more lockdown measures lifted in Tenerife, Lanzarote, Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura and La Palma.

Some beaches reopened to sunbathers on Monday (25 May), while shopping centres and cultural spaces have been able to reopen with some additional limitations, as have bars and restaurants.

The Canaries’ major airports – Tenerife, Lanzarote, Gran Canaria and Fuerteventura – are meanwhile ready to receive international flights, with the first "safe corridors" expected to be agreed by July.

"This is one of the best announcements since the reactivation of the entire sector, which requires the recovery of the air connectivity," said Castillo. "We depend on the airlines to reactivate their routes with our islands, and that will be only possible if we are part of a ’safe corridor’ that will allow us to connect with our main tourist markets."