Riu Hotels is to reopen 15 hotels in Spain as part of a gradual resumption in operations after the international tourism hiatus caused by Covid-19.
Properties in Madrid, Majorca, Formentera, Cadiz, Malaga, Gran Canaria, Tenerife, Fuerteventura and Lanzarote will open by the first week of July.
The group is implementing strict safety and cleaning protocols to protect the health of guests and staff as it bids to encourage holidays this summer as travel restrictions are lifted.
The chain has also reopened operations in a total of 15 more countries, with hotels open or about to open in Germany, Mexico, US, Bulgaria, Portugal, Ireland, Jamaica, Costa Rica, Aruba, Dominican Republic, the Bahamas, Morocco, Zanzibar and Sri Lanka.
The first to open in Spain are the Riu Bravo and Riu Concordia hotels in Playa de Palma in Majorca.
They are working in partnership with the Balearic government and Riu partner Tui to carry out a safe tourism test with German holidaymakers that started on the island on June 15.
The Riu Plaza Espana in the Spanish capital opened on the same day.
The first property in the Canary Islands to welcome back guests is Riu Gran Canaria today (Friday), along with Riu La Mola in Playa de Migjorn on Formentera together with Riu Chiclana and Riu Costa del Sol in Andalusia.
They will be joined on June 26 by the Riu Palace Meloneras and Riu Palace Tres Islas in Gran Canaria and Fuerteventura respectively.
July 1 is the scheduled date to reopen the Riu Calypso hotel in Fuerteventura and Riu Paraiso Lanzarote.
Riu Palace Tenerife opens the following day followed by Riu Palace Palmeras in Gran Canaria, Riu Arecas in Tenerife and Riu Nautilus in Torremolinos.
“In this way, Riu is starting to offer its national and international customers access to all its Spanish destinations once more, by opening at least one hotel in each of them,” a spokesperson said.