From July 1, the Spanish authorities will launch Operation Summer 2022. According to the plan, thousands of troops of the National Police and the Civil Guard will monitor tourists in crowded places. The program will end on August 31. The relevant statement was issued by the Spanish Interior Ministry on June 10.
The report clarified that the most popular tourist destinations will be the Autonomous Communities of Andalusia, Asturias, the Canary Islands, Cantabria, the Valencian Community, Galicia, and the Balearic Islands, and Murcia. At the same time, the ministry said in a statement that the program will last longer in the Balearic Islands than in other resort regions. Police will actively monitor tourists until September 30.
Secretary of State for Security Rafael Perez issued an order last Wednesday, citing a reduction in the incidence of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to him, this has contributed to the gradual removal of specific restrictions and controls that have affected tourism activities, which, however, allows for a sustainable recovery of the sector at a similar level or higher than in the 2019 forecast.
Thus, the purpose of the instruction is to increase the safety of citizens in these nine autonomous communities and to facilitate the influx of tourists through a device that enhances surveillance and preventive control of urban and interurban communication routes, stations, ports, airports, hotels, beaches, and campsites, as well as on the occasion of any event with a large crowd, “- said in a statement.
In the nine autonomous communities where Operation Summer 2022 will take place, the national police force will be reinforced by 2,442 other agents. They will join the nearly 22,000 troops already guarding the safety of tourists in these areas.
According to the ministry, another 1,187 servicemen will join the army of 19,399 people. “In total, Operation Summer 2021 is supported by the deployment of 45,028 troops in the territorial scope, 24,442 national police officers, and 20,586 civilian guardsmen,” the agency said in a statement.
In addition, the operation will complement the safe tourism plan that the government will soon launch throughout the country so that local and foreign tourists do not suffer from criminal acts during their travels and stay in the country.
It will be recalled that on June 3, the Spanish Ministry of Health lifted all entry restrictions for all travelers arriving in Spain from any of the European Union and the Schengen areas. According to the ministry, this means that no evidence of the insidious status of tourists entering the country is required.