The tourism sector works towards reducing the effects of Covid-19.
Transportation companies, hotel chains and hospitality businesses have worked from the onset to help fight against the pandemic and to reduce its consequences
Iberia and Renfe have provided transportation for healthcare staff and materials; Palladium, Room Mate, Ilunion, B&B, NH, Catalonia, Barceló, Soho… have offered their hotels; and hundreds of restaurants, suppliers and chefs have had their food reach the least fortunate people.
Iberia has closely collaborated with Fenin and Grupo Oesía in supplying Spain with material to fight against Covid-19 through their joint initiative: Healthcare Air Corridor. In the last month, this action has provided hospitals and other organisations with over 46 million items of protective equipment, among which are mainly various types of face masks, but also gloves, glasses, protective clothing, thermometers and components to manufacture and maintain respirators for patients. This is additional to the donations made by Iberia and to the many repatriation flights run by the company, that enabled thousands of people to return home.
Renfe has offered free seats for healthcare workers who had to travel between Spanish cities for work and, especially, due to the coronavirus epidemic. During the State of Alarm decreed by the Spanish Government, the company has enabled doctors, registered nurses and nursing and lab staff to travel on the High-Speed, Long-Distance, Medium-Distance and Avant trains free of charge, from their usual workplace to other areas where the situation so required it.
Hotels and restaurants
Various hotel chains and establishments have also done their part to fight against coronavirus throughout Spain, offering in some cases to lodge patients and in others helping healthcare staff to get some rest. Among these are companies such as Palladium, Room Mate, Ilunion, B&B Hotels, Catalonia, NH, Barceló, Soho Boutique, etc. The conversion into hospitals of some of these hotels also gave a breather to several hospitals, enabling them to focus on the most serious or critical cases.
Lastly, the hospitality industry has also implemented several initiatives in various cities throughout Spain to provide food for the less fortunate groups of population, and even to hospital staff. These initiatives involved hundreds of restaurants, chefs, suppliers and other professionals and businesses.