Latest news & Prevention measures

EXPERIENCE BOX SAFETY & HEALTH MEASURES for OUR EVENTS 

The wellbeing and safety of your group during their stay in Southern Spain is fundamental to Experience Box team. 

For this reason, Experience Box will take all necessary precautions to ensure the safety and health of our customers. We will adapt each activity to meet the regulations established by the Spanish Government, such as distance between participants, cleaning of the material used during our activities, use of protection items where needed by our staff, etc... We will also make sure that potential partners of ours comply with the regulations and all required standards as well. 

We also offer a variety of hygienic and sanitary protection items for all participants to your conference or incentive on the Costa del Sol. We can deliver them to the hotel where the group will stay or to any location of your choice prior to the arrival of the group.

Detailed below is a list of such products, some of which can be personalized with the company’s logo or any preferred text or image. If you don’t find what you are looking for, it will be our pleasure for us to propose other options.

  • Face masks
  • Gloves
  • Facial protection lotions
  • Protection robes and screens
  • Shoe covers
  • Hydro alcoholic gel
  • Hydro alcoholic wet wipes
  • Disinfectant spray
  • Anti-bacterial pens
  • Hygiene and protection kits

Please refer to our merchandising and sanitary items page for more information and to our BLOG for latest news on the Covid19 impact on the MICE market in Spain.

Please don’t hesitate to contact us with your requests and/or any queries you may have so that we can prepare a detailed proposal for your group.

 

Video de #VendrasSEGURO

 

 

LATEST COVID-19 UPDATES in COSTA DEL SOL

These are the most updated COVID-related measurements in the region of Andalusia as far as capacities for events is concerned (updated on March 16th, 2021)

*VENUES
Congresses, meetings, business meetings, conferences, trade fairs and other events: 
75% capacity maintaining the established interpersonal distance of 1.5 m. Maximum 400 inside and 800 outside.

Cinemas, theatres, auditoriums, marquee circuses, open-air venues and others: 75% seating capacity maintaining the established interpersonal distance of 1.5m. Express authorisation + 200 inside and + 300 outside.

Museums and exhibition halls, also applicable to Monuments: 75% seating capacity maintaining the established interpersonal distance of 1.5m. Express authorisation + 200 inside and + 300 outside.

*HOTELS: Common Areas at 50% of their capacity.

*CATERING SERVICES: 
Bar and interior: 75% capacity. Distance 1.5 m.
Outside: 100% capacity. Distance 1.5 m. between tables or groupings (maximum occupancy 6 pax). Maximum opening until 21:30)

*ACTIVITIES:
Tourist guide groups: Up to 20 pax guide included.
Active Tourism: Up to 30 pax guide included.

CEREMONIES, WEDDINGS AND BANQUETS:
75% capacity. 100 max. inside and 150 max. outside. Maximum 6 per table.

 

 

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Updated on January 16th, 2021

These are the most updated COVID-related measurements in the region of Andalusia:

-Maintain the perimeter closure of Andalucía

-Closure of hospitality and shops and similar at 6:00 p.m.

-Reduce the maximum number of people in social meetings to 4

-Perimeter closure of the 8 provinces (movement not permitted between provinces)

-Perimeter closure of municipalities with accumulated incidence in 14 days greater than 500 / 100,000 inhabitants

-Complete closure of hospitality and leisure establishments in municipalities with an incidence greater than 1,000 / 100,000 inhabitants

-Start curfew a 8pm. If authorised by the central government (NOT YET AUTHORISED BUT PENDING). Otherwise, it will remain from 10 pm to 6 am.

-These measures will take effect from Sunday, January 17th.

 

The data will be reviewed daily, so that the municipalities that exceed the rate of 500 or 1,000 infections per 100,000 inhabitants, movement between municipalities and the opening of shops and bars may be limited.

 

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Updated on October 31st, 2020

Andalusia imposes new and strict measures 

Following the declaration of the State of Alarm on 25 October, which delegates to the Presidency of each Autonomous Community the power to decide on the measures to be taken, the Andalusian Regional Government has formally announced the following rules to be followed, with effect from October 30th:

-Peripheral closure of the provinces of Granada, Jaén and Seville. Mobility between all its municipalities will also be limited. Entry and exit will only be possible for justified reasons. These provinces are on alert level 4.

-Closure of the perimeter of the municipalities included in the health districts of Córdoba Sur, La Vega de Málaga and the Jerez-Costa Noroeste and Sierra de Cádiz health districts, which are also at alert level 4.

-There are 448 municipalities in Andalusia that are perimetered, more than half of the community's population. There are 4,300,000 Andalusians, which is half of the total population.

-The President has asked the citizens of the remaining 337 municipalities in Andalusia not to leave their municipal areas "if it is not clearly essential".

-The curfew will be maintained from 23.00 until 06.00 in the morning.

-All hotel and catering establishments will be closed at 10.30 p.m.

-Meetings limited to a maximum of six people (except for groups that are cohabitants), both in the public and private sectors.

-These measures will be reviewed every two weeks from 9 November.

-The Andalusian Government requests the support of the National Police and the Guardia Civil to comply with all these rules.

 

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Updated on October 30th, 2020

State of Alarm declared again in Spain

On 25 October, the Spanish Government approved the declaration of a State of Alert throughout the country to contain the spread of infections caused by COVID-19. For the purposes of the State of Alert, the competent authority is the Government of Spain. In each region (Autonomous Community) or city, the delegated competent authority is the one that holds its presidency.

On 29 October 2020, the Congress authorized the extension of the State of Alert for a period of 6 months until 00:00 on 9 May 2021.

During the established period:

1) The movement of people on public roads or spaces is limited between 23:00 and 6:00 hours except for acquiring medicines, health products and other essential goods; attending health centres, services and establishments or veterinary care centres for emergency reasons; fulfilling work, professional, business, institutional or legal obligations; returning to the place of habitual residence after carrying out some of these activities; attending and caring for the elderly, minors, dependents, disabled persons or particularly vulnerable persons; due to force majeure or a situation of need or any other activity of an accredited similar nature; refueling at petrol stations or service stations, when necessary for carrying out the planned activities.

The delegated competent authority may modulate, within its territorial scope, its start between 22:00 and 00:00 and its end between 5:00 and 7:00 in the morning. Its application will be for the whole country except the Autonomous Community of the Canary Islands, due to its better epidemiological situation.

2) The entry and exit of persons from the territory of each Autonomous Community or city is restricted, except for attending health centres, services and establishments; fulfilling labour, professional, business, institutional or legal obligations; attending university, teaching and educational centres; returning to the place of habitual or family residence; assisting and caring for the elderly, minors, dependents, disabled persons or particularly vulnerable persons; travel to financial and insurance entities or refueling stations in neighboring territories, required or urgent actions before public, judicial or notary bodies; renewing permits and official documentation, as well as other administrative procedures that cannot be postponed; carrying out examinations or official tests that cannot be postponed; force majeure or situation of need or any other activity of a similar nature, duly accredited.

3) The stay of groups of persons in public and private spaces is limited to a maximum of six persons, unless they are living together.

4) The stay of persons in places of worship is limited: the corresponding delegated competent authority shall establish the capacity for the meetings, celebrations and religious gatherings taking into account the risk of transmission that could result. This limitation may not affect the private and individual exercise of religious freedom.

The measures provided for in Articles 2, 3 and 4 shall be effective in the territory of each Autonomous Community or town where the delegated competent authority so determines. Each one may, within its territorial scope, in the light of developments in health, epidemiological, social, economic and mobility indicators, modulate, make the measures more flexible and suspend their application.

 

 

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Updated on August 21st ,2020

Spain imposes strict new measures on nightlife

After three months under a ‘state of alarm’, since March 14thSpain entered its ‘New Normality’ phase on Monday 22 June, following on from the government’s four phased plan to relax the country’s lockdown restrictions.

The latest official figure released by the Spanish Health Ministry on Thursday 20 August for the number of people who have tested positive for Coronavirus (Covid-19) is now 377,906. This is an overall increase of 7,039 against the figure released the day before.

However, only  just over 1,400 people have required hospital treatment in the past 7 days, with only 90 in intensive care. 

The high number of infections detected is due to a ‘very important’ effort in diagnosis. ‘We are making a very important number of PCR tests and this implies that we are detecting many cases.’

Last Friday 14 August Spain’s Health Minister announced strict new measures on nightlife across the whole country – as well as a ban on smoking outside, where social distancing cannot be maintained – in a further attempt to stop the spread of Coronavirus (Covid-19). Each region of Spain is imposing the restrictions following their own timetable. Here are the key measures:

-Music bars, nightclubs and discos will be closed across Spain.

-All other bars and restaurants to close at 1am, with last customers allowed by midnight.

-Smoking will also be prohibited outside if 2 metre social distancing cannot be maintained.

-There should be 10 people maximum at tables.

-No ‘botellones’ (street drinking parties) allowed.

 

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Updated on June 15th, 2020

Malaga and Andalusia advance to STAGE 4: The "New Normal" from June 22nd

As of Monday, June 22, a large part of Spain will enter the "New Normal", the fourth and final phase of those decreed by the national government during the "de-escalation" of the health crisis caused by the COVID-19.

From then on, there will be no limit to the number of meetings in the groups and the capacity of the places will be determined by each administration. For the time being, the only one to be found in this new normality is Galicia, which has established 75% of the capacity of the indoor spaces for all types of activities, and 80% in the case of the open-air terraces, with a maximum of 25 people per table.

If it serves as a reference, this Autonomous Community has already reopened the children's playgrounds with a maximum of one person per four square metres, as well as other outdoor public spaces. The Galician Administration may intervene in public or private residences, take control of them or support them punctually with its personnel, and may open social care centres, social dining rooms, centres for inclusion activities and similar with a capacity of 75% of the capacity.

Worship spaces, wake rooms, shops, sports spaces and swimming pools, museums and cultural spaces will continue to have lowered capacity limits. Discotheques and nightlife establishments will be able to work exclusively on open-air terraces until 1 July, when they could reopen their indoor areas if the evolution of the pandemic is positive. On the same date, the festivals and open-air dances, as well as other popular events, will return, in addition to the fair attractions.

As the territories finish their de-escalation, concrete measures of the new normality will be known. What the BOE establishes and which will be generally complied with is the obligatory use of masks in open air spaces and in any closed space for public use or that is open to the public, provided that it is not possible to guarantee the maintenance of an interpersonal safety distance of at least 1.5 metres.

 

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Updated on June 7, 2020

Malaga and Andalusia advance to STAGE 3

From Monday 8th June, the province of Malaga advances to the "STAGE 3" of the Government's plan to gradually reduce the restrictions of the coronavirus, the last one before reaching the "New Normal".

There will no longer be time slots for any group and the permission for groups is extended to 20 people, as well as the possibility of moving between provinces of Andalusia, but traveling to another part of the national territory will only be possible for health, employment, professional or business reasons, return to the place of family residence, assistance and care of the elderly, dependent or disabled, cause of force majeure or situation of need.

Access to the inside area of bars and restaurants will be allowed and their open-air terraces will increase their capacity to 75%. Consumptions at the bar will be allowed, provided that a minimum separation of two meters is guaranteed.

The common areas in hotels and tourist accommodation will also be open to half of their maximum occupation. Discotheques and nightclubs are allowed to open as long as they do not exceed 1/3 of their capacity. The open-air terraces of these establishments may also be opened.

Retail stores will be opened at 50% and also the common and recreational areas of the shopping centres at 40%, while shops may be opened at 50%.

Cultural activities may be carried out in libraries and museums. Cinemas, theatres, auditoriums, circuses and performance spaces will be allowed to carry out their activities, provided that they have pre-assigned seats and do not exceed half the capacity of each room.

For active tourism activities, groups are extended to 30 people and each guide will be allowed a maximum of 20 people, but audio guides and brochures will not be allowed.

Sports competitions, including the "La Liga" Spanish football league, are back. Swimming pools and sports centres may be used throughout Spain at 30% of their capacity.

The following businesses may open with a 50% capacity limit: zoos, aquariums, casinos, gaming and recreation halls, raffles and betting shops.

In regular public, discretionary and complementary private bus transport, as well as in rail transport, in which all occupants must be seated, all seats may be used. Where the level of occupancy permits, maximum separation between users shall be ensured. In public passenger transport in vehicles with up to nine seats, including the driver, two persons may be moved for each additional row of seats in relation to the driver. Where all users live together at the same address, three persons may travel for each additional row of seats in relation to the driver

In private transport in vehicles with up to nine seats, including the driver, as many people as the vehicle has seats may travel, provided that they all reside in the same home. When not all of them live at the same address, two persons may travel for each row of seats.

 

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Updated on May 31, 2020

Costa del Sol advances to STAGE 2 of lockdown in Spain

From Monday 1st June, the province of Malaga will be in "STAGE 2" of the Government's plan to gradually reduce the restrictions of the coronavirus.

For example, it will be possible to move around the province in groups of up to 15 people and social contact will be allowed in groups of up to 10 people, always maintaining social distance or protective measures. Transfer to a second residence (in the same province) is still permitted.

All commercial establishments and cultural spaces will be opened with a capacity limit, in addition to being able to go to the beaches and even bathe. Recreational pools may be opened to the public by appointment, with a maximum capacity of 30%.

Likewise, people up to 70 years old will be able to carry out a non professional physical activity in any time zone except for those between 10:00 and 12:00 in the morning and 7:00 and 8:00 in the evening, which are reserved for those over 70 years old.

In addition, the common areas of hotels and tourist accommodation are reopened to the public, provided they do not exceed 1/3 of their capacity. The animation activities or group classes will have a maximum capacity of 20 people, avoiding the exchange of objects, preferably in the open air and respecting the safety distance. Otherwise, masks will be used. Active tourism and nature activities can be carried out for groups of up to 20 people.

The law also establishes a maximum capacity of 50% in hotel and restaurant establishments for consumption on the premises, except for discos and nightclubs.

Shops may reopen to the public regardless of their useful exhibition and sales area, as long as the capacity on each floor is reduced to 40% and a distance of two metres between customers is guaranteed.

Shopping centres and parks can open with a maximum capacity of 30% in their common areas and 40% in each establishment. There may not be customers in the common areas (except to go from one shop to another) and the children's areas, toy libraries or rest areas will be closed.

In Malaga, it has been decided to proceed with a coordinated opening of the museums, libraries, Alcazaba-Gibralfaro monumental complex, Picasso Museum, the Centre Pompidou Malaga, the Russian Museum Collection, the CAC Malaga, the Carmen Thyssen Museum Malaga, the Municipal Heritage Museum, the Revello de Toro Museum and the Interactive Music Museum, with 1/3 of the capacity and meeting all security requirements for visitors and workers, in their usual hours.

 

Upd. May 16th, 2020 

Costa del Sol advances to STAGE 1 of lockdown in Spain

On Monday, May 18th, the province of Malaga will move into "FASE 1" (Stage 1) of the Spanish government's plan to gradually scale down its coronavirus restrictions.

Hence, the whole Andalusia region takes a step closer to the post-coronavirus 'new normality', meaning that many of the current lockdown restrictions will be relaxed. Social contact will be permitted in groups of up to ten persons, always respecting distances, and bars and restaurants will be able to open their outdoor terraces, but with more space between tables.

Places of worship will also be able to reopen, but with only a third of their total capacity. 

Movement around the entire province will also be permitted. Groups of up to ten relatives and friends will be allowed to get together in a private home or on an outdoor terrace of a restaurant, bar or cafeteria or in another public space.

When people gather, they will have to maintain a distance of at least two metres between them, follow the hygiene rules and wash their hands frequently.

Bars, restaurants and cafeterias will only be able to serve 50% of their terrace tables.

Hotels and self-catering tourist accommodation may open but not their communal areas and facilities. However, hotels in Costa del Sol will still wait a few more weeks to actually open and most of them are considering to wait until early July tu be operative.

Shops and small businesses may now open to the public without appointment, but just up to 30 per cent of their capacity.

Stores with more than 400 square metres may also open, but only using an area of 400 square metres marked out within the store. This will allow clothes stores and car showrooms, for example, to resume trading, but in a controlled area with limited numbers of customers.

Cultural events may be held in the open air with up to 200 people providing sufficient spaces can be left between seats. Cultural events indoors are limited to 30 people, and no more than 30 per cent of the premises' normal capacity.

Museums will be able to open, selling tickets in advance and keeping visitors down to a third of normal capacity.

Street markets will also be able to resume, respecting social distancing.

 

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Upd. April 28th, 2020

The transition to the so called "New Normality" will be carried out in 4 phases. Each phase will last at least two weeks, therefore Spain is expected to reach the "New Normality" before the end of June 2020. 

May 4th, 2020 - Stage 0

Limited in time and distance walks in pairs and some individual physical activities (jogging, cycling, skating) are allowed. Individual training of professional sports and basic training of professional leagues will start. Opening of small premises by appointment for individual customer care. e.g. Restaurants to offer pick-up service in addition to the delivery service. Compusory use to wear a face mask when using public transport.

May 11th - Stage 1

Social gatherings of up to 10 people are allowed, respecting the physical distance. Opening of small shops and terraces (occupation up to 30%). Opening of hotels and touristic accommodation units excluding common areas. Places of worship will have a 30% limitation. Average training in professional leagues. 
Non-professional sports: only allowed for activities that do not involve physical contact or use of changing rooms.
Open-air markets, with conditions of distance between stalls.
Cultural shows for less than 30 people indoors (with a third of the capacity) and for less than 200 people outdoors.
Museum visits and funerals with limited number of persons.

May 25th - Stage 2

Opening of restaurants/bars for table service, with limited capacity. Trips to second homes, only if they are in the same province.
Cinemas and theatres with a third of the capacity. Monuments and exhibition halls may be visited.
Cultural activities with less than 50 people seated. If they are in the open air, less than 400 people seated.
Hunting and fishing allowed.
Educational centres (tutoring, care for children under six years of age and pre-college exams).
Re-opening of shopping centres, with a ban on staying in the common areas or recreational zones.
Weddings for a limited number of attendees.

June 8th - Stage 3

In restaurants, seating restrictions will be reduced, but with strict separation between the customers.
General mobility will be made more flexible.
The occupation of spaces, such as shops, will be increased to 50% of their capacity.
Nightclubs and bars with a maximum capacity of one third of the usual.
Opening of beaches in safe and distant conditions.
Bull fighting: with a capacity limit that guarantees one person for every 9 square metres.

June 22nd - NEW NORMALITY!