Diplomat
Foreign Minister José Manuel Álvarez recalled yesterday the recommendations issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to allow Spanish citizens to “travel safely abroad” during the summer holidays.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the European Union and Cooperation is also working to ensure that you can have a safe holiday this summer,” the minister declared yesterday in a video published on the official account of the social network X, adding: “For this reason, we have launched the ‘Safe Travels’ campaign.”
In this regard, Alvarez called on Spanish tourists to keep in mind “five recommendations for safe travels”: the first is to “always consult the travel recommendations on the Ministry’s website”, the second is to register in the “Travel Registration” application and the third is to “have travel medical insurance”.
“Always respect local laws and customs,” the minister said of the fourth recommendation, adding that “what is legal in Spain may be illegal in another country.” Finally, Alvarez urged Spanish travelers to write down “emergency consular telephone numbers of our embassies and consulates in the countries they are going to” and to call them “in case of an emergency.”
As the ministry noted in a press release in early July, in 2023, Spaniards will make more than 19 million trips abroad, a figure that will “expectedly increase” due to the recently concluded European Football Championship in Germany and the Olympic and Paralympic Games, which will be held in France from July 26 to September 8.
For this reason, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will intensify its information activities for tourists through social networks: the #ViajaSeguro campaign can be found through the Ministry’s accounts on social networks X, Instagram, LinkedIn and Facebook.
The message also informs you that the 178 Spanish consulates abroad have 24-hour emergency telephone numbers to report any adverse travel situations. Through these emergency lines, as well as those of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs headquarters, you can also receive first aid if necessary. These telephone numbers are published on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website.
In any case, the campaign focuses on two tools that the Ministry makes available to its citizens: the travel advisory and the travellers’ register. The travel advisory can be accessed on the Ministry’s website. The travel advisory brings together useful information for each country, such as the documents required for travel, vaccinations and the security situation. These data are constantly updated with information provided by Spanish embassies. It also contains practical recommendations that will be useful for travellers who have chosen the country as their destination.
The Traveler Registry collects personal and travel data of those who voluntarily fill out the form, with maximum confidentiality guarantees. In times of emergency, it helps to monitor and locate travelers. The #ViajaSeguro campaign highlights the convenience of communicating travel information through this registry. It is free to use and makes it easier to locate people in times of emergency due to natural disasters (hurricanes, earthquakes, etc.), armed conflicts or other situations.
Finally, the name of the campaign itself reflects the importance of always having medical and travel insurance to cover the costs that may arise from a range of eventualities, from flight cancellations or the suspension of transport services in your destination due to various circumstances, to medical needs arising from health problems, including hospitalisation due to an accident or repatriation for medical reasons. “Having medical and travel insurance can make it easier to access the care you need, but what’s more, depending on the country, it can also be very expensive,” warns the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
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