Two German visitors to Mallorca got an unexpected start to their holiday on the Spanish island when King Felipe and Queen Letizia provided the official welcome. The meeting came during the royal couple’s visit to the Balearics, part of their ongoing tour around Spain to show support for business and industry as the country reopens following tight restrictions during the coronavirus pandemic.
Wearing masks and keeping a suitable physical distance, King Felipe and Queen Letizia got chatting to the tourists who greeted their royal tour party with a bow and a curtsy. ‘Welcome to Spain’ was the response before the royals chatted about the situation in Mallorca with Felipe telling the visitors that ”the most important thing is that we give confidence.”
Felipe and Letizia had arrived in Mallorca early on June 25th for a day of visits designed to show support for a range of industries. They started with an outdoor meeting at the Iberostar Cristina Hotel where they spoke with representatives from the island’s tourism sector to find out how the pandemic has impacted them and how they will adapt going forward.
(Casa de S. M. El Rey)
They were also told about the hotel’s own measures to prepare for reopening, offering free stays to employees and their relatives so that they could test the health measures put in place to ensure safety for paying visitors.
A major focus of the day was work going on in the area to help vulnerable people who have been impacted further by the coronavirus pandemic. The King and Queen of Spain heard from organisations supporting those in poverty or experiencing social exclusion who outlined how conditions had deteriorated for some groups over the past months. Projects focused on training and improving access to education and digital support were highlighted during the royal visit.
The balance between restarting the economy and keeping residents and visitors safe and healthy as the pandemic continues dominated discussions at the royal couple’s last stop, the Riu Concordia Hotel. Here, Felipe and Letizia were shown the plans put in place to ensure good hygiene and prevent the spread of coronavirus. They heard about the establishment of travel corridors between Mallorca and parts of Europe while their hosts explained how tourism will be a central plank of the recovery programme for the island.
There was also a chance for the King and Queen of Spain to take a stroll along the sea front where they spoke to several of those enjoying a walk along the beach. During their walk, they also spoke to Mallorcan authorities about the challenges the pandemic has brought with it.
King Felipe and Queen Letizia plan to visit all the autonomous communities of Spain in the coming weeks to show support for social, economic and tourist initiatives.
