The tourism authorities of Spain have required that the other European Union and Schengen Area countries also start employing the Imserso scheme for persons over the age of 65.
Imserso is a holiday scheme that the Spanish government offers for pensioners who are legal residents of the country. Through this scheme, Spanish pensioners get to enjoy cheaper holidays during the off-peak season, from October to June, SchengenVisaInfo.com reports.
The Spanish authorities explain that through the Imserso scheme, pensioners who are residents of Spain can visit different destinations in mainland Portugal as well as in the Balearic and Canary Islands.
Apart from the pensioners over the age of 65, persons over the age of 55 who receive a widow’s pension as well as those over the age of 60 who receive an early retirement pension or an invalidity pension are also eligible to apply for the Imserso holiday scheme.
Prices for these kinds of holidays vary, but they remain on the cheaper side. In general, they cost €120 to €400 depending on the number of days. This price includes all services, including transport, accommodation, and food.
Taking into account the popularity of this particular scheme in Spain as well as its affordability, the Spanish tourism authorities have suggested that all the other European countries consider implementing it.
According to The Local, Spain’s Secretary of State for Tourism Fernando Valdés said that if other countries also start applying such a scheme, European pensioners would be able to travel to other EU countries on a subsides holiday too.
During a presentation in Dijon, France, Valdés revealed that seniors constitute 21 per cent of the total population of the EU, and they spend around 5.6 per cent of their income on tourism, thus suggesting that the authorities need to work on the matter and create better travel conditions.
Valdés emphasised that the EU should remain the main tourism destination while at the same time urging the responsible EU authorities to allocate funds in order to create a more inclusive and sustainable sector.
Seniors are one of the population groups that have been most affected by the COVID-19 disease. Due to the widespread of the virus, seniors mainly avoided taking any non-essential trips in the last two years.
However, now that the COVID-19 situation has improved and the vaccination rates have increased, they would be able to travel on a budget if the other EU countries also decide to start applying such a scheme.
The other EU countries are to reveal their opinions and plans on the scheme.
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