The Canary Islands has suspended most of its Covid restrictions for UK tourists arriving in the region. Various rules have been scrapped, including capacity limits in both indoor and outdoor venues, which will now be able to operate at full capacity in time for the Easter holidays.
UK holidaymakers need to be fully-vaccinated to travel to the Canary Islands unless they have a recent recovery certificate. Younger people aged between 12-17 are able to enter Spain without being vaccinated but will need to have a negative PCR test from the previous 72 hours.
Foreign exchange specialist FairFX has revealed how British visitors could cash in on the rise in the value of sterling against the euro. The pound has climbed three per cent in value against the single currency since early March 2020, when Britons were last able to visit restriction-free, meaning travellers could get 33€ more for every £1,000 exchanged - the equivalent of £27.
FairFX suggested holidaymakers planning a trip to the Canary Islands might want to consider whether to lock in their travel money to take advantage of sterling's current strength against the euro. The pound has made gains recently, up one per cent to a rate of 1.20 on this time last week.
Jack Mitchell, head of travel money at FairFX, said: “The upcoming Easter holidays will be the first time a lot of families have been able to travel relatively restriction free since the start of the pandemic, and it’s a boost to see many popular destinations easing their Covid rules. But amid the excitement of an upcoming trip, it’s important to stay savvy when it comes to your holiday money.
"If you’re thinking of heading abroad, it’s not just government travel updates you need to keep an eye on; watching closely to see what the pound is doing is crucial if you want to get more bang for your buck. We often see the pound dip when travel restrictions ease.
"So if you think a country might be readying to open its borders or change its travel rules it’s worth considering locking in your cash when the pound is at its strongest so it will go that bit further when you do take your trip."
He added: "Locking in rates by topping up a prepaid card with the currency you need or buying travel cash when exchange rates are strong is the best way to get more bang for your holiday buck. As the cost of living continues to rise, it’s more important than ever for holidaymakers to save money on their trip as every little helps.
“And if your holiday is postponed due to changing restrictions, illness, or worse still, cancelled completely, having a prepaid card means you can keep your holiday money in one place until you travel again.”
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