Travel to the Canary Islands and COVID-19 tests

[Bjorn27]

@Catherine-Powell.  

in light of the BOC 31 October 2020 for the Canary Islands
Further to the recent changes and announcement concerning BOC Nº 223. Sábado 31 de octubre de 2020 – 3996
http://www.gobiernodecanarias.org/boc/2020/223/001.html?fbclid=IwAR0xPtFBHYoIOPZF0RLvay_B0iKcqK5CAAf...
Will Airbnb be making an announcement and what will be the procedure or do we notify our guests and do this as individual hosts ?

Here is the official announcement.

The test does not have to be a PCR. It can be any test capable of detecting an active case of Covid-19 and has to be a test approved by your home country's health authority.

"In order to guarantee safe holidays for everyone in the Canary Islands, all visitors that stay in a tourist establishment will need to present a certificate that demonstrates the completion of a diagnostic test for active infection by # COVID19 with a negative result as of November 14.”

 The test must have been carried out in the previous 72 hours and be approved by the health authorities of your home country or the EU.

 It will be mandatory for all people over 6 years old

 The certificate may be presented in digital or paper format and it must contain the date, the time of the test, the identity data of the person, the authorized centre responsible for the testing and the negative result.

 This certificate will not be required from travelers who prove that they have been in the Canary Islands for 15 days, nor from Canarian residents who declare that they have not left the archipelago in the 15 days prior to their arrival at the establishment

Many thanks for your help and consideration
Bjorn

[Emiel1]

@Bjorn27 

As a host I would not wait for Airbnb and inform the guests about this asap.

[Marit-Anne0]

@Bjorn27 it is very unlinely that airbnb will do anything on this matter, they cover their tracks by telling you at booking that you should stay up to date on laws and regulations at your destination at all times. 

Is there perhaps a test center nearby that you can refer your guests to ? Or will they be denied entry if they cannot present a test ? I read something in the press the other day about the issue and there were something on testing after arrival. How will airlines react ? 

[Hello6]

Have to admit we had skipped the recent news cycles and were advised by concerned future guests about this issue.  Our Hello House Hostel Checkout Notice Regarding COVID Test Requirements for Guests travelling onward after 13 Nov reads: "Hi (Guest Name), for your information: After November 13, 2020 any tourist departing for a location / country requiring a quarantine from this destination (Gran Canaria, Spain) must obtain a non-positive Covid test result. Section 10 of 3996 DECREE law 17/2020, of October 29, on extraordinary measures in tourism to face the effects of the health and economic crisis produced by the pandemic caused by COVID-19. - Government of the Canary Islands". As tourist accommodation provider we must provide you with a list of locations that a test may be carried out at your expense. The current facility closet to our home is HOSPITAL SAN ROQUE LAS PALMAS (https://hospitalessanroque.com/es) you can make an appointment by phone or online. A full list of locations in the Canary Islands is found here (https://www3.gobiernodecanarias.org/sanidad/scs/content/0b807060-95d9-11ea-a731-df174beb68e2/LISTADO...) on the Canary Government website (https://www3.gobiernodecanarias.org/sanidad/scs/contenidoGenerico.jsp?idDocument=8e418567-a19c-11ea-...)"

[Hello6]

Our Hello House Hostel Check-In Notice Regarding COVID requirements on / after 13 Nov when the new decree is in force reads as follows: " Hi (Guest Name), the Canary Islands government has passed a decree "3996 DECRETO ley 17/2020, de 29 de octubre (coming into force 13 Nov), de medidas extraordinarias en materia turística para afrontar los efectos de la crisis sanitaria y económica producida por la pandemia ocasionada por la COVID-19. " (http://www.gobiernodecanarias.org/boc/2020/223/001.html) "To access tourist accommodation establishments in the Canary Islands, it will be necessary for tourist users over six years of age, who do not come from the territory of the Autonomous Community of the Canary Islands, to demonstrate the completion, within a maximum period of 72 hours prior to their arrival, of the active infection diagnostic test established by the health authorities and that proves that the tourist user has not tested positive as a COVID-19 transmitter.". This means that before you can checkin to our hostel you must send us a picture here through the Airbnb system of your "active infection diagnostic test" proving you are not positive for Covid-19. We are a shared environment so we can not permit entry to any guests who does not make this proof requirement and send us a picture copy here."

[Hello6]

We honestly have tuned out the news here in Spain.  Nothing during this entire pandemic nor government actions and law scuplting post pandemic has done a thing to assist tourism or those of us reliant on the sector.  Its all words, money boosting announcements and nothing trickling down to the actual tourist accommodation providers but more paperwork, taxes, higher insurance bills and stress.   The local government in its new powers has made tourist accommodation the health police instead of doing their own checks at ports of entry (like Italy).  We are expected to be the new healthcare border.  Made worse is we need to read about it best through translated newspapers  as the government and local newspapers announce and write garbage.   Key takeaway is we all have to collect one more piece of Information from our guests, store it, or face fines.  Another government cost added to our balance sheets. 

[Hello6]

And yes, we would like Airbnb(as you have the knowledge base, clout and systems ready) to collect, as Airbnb does with passports, the medical check information, and maintain its privacy, allowing us the hosts to focus on hosting and not the safe data transmission and storage of each individual guests medical history. If medical history checks are going to be the new tourism barrier might as well make it an easy hurdle to jump.   An opt-in online medical passport system for Airbnb guests for enhanced travel might make Airbnb a world leader for safe approved travel and make our hosting lives a little easier and less paperwork burdensome.  As we see with all trends government: if one government can force travellers to do medicals - they all will soon enough.  Might as well get ahead of the curve and make an online medical passport system early and sell rights of access to it for governments :). Thanks Airbnb for all the guests so far and in the future.  🙂