In Barcelona, store shelves are still stocked, sports matches continue and health authorities maintain there’s no reason to cancel any event, regardless of the size.
BARCELONA — Just weeks ago, Barcelona seemed to be in the crosshairs of the coronavirus, as the world’s largest technology trade show, the Mobile World Congress, was about to open in this Mediterranean-hugging metropolis, drawing over 100,000 visitors from all over the globe — notably including thousands from China.
But the decision may have lessened the effects on her city from the burgeoning epidemic, at least so far.
While the local temperament is easygoing and resilient — Barcelona quickly recovered from a terrorist attack in 2017, a secession attempt in October of that year, and rioting in October 2019 over harsh prison sentences imposed on secessionist officials — it’s hard not to wonder if health authorities’ emphasis on societal calm is in part due to fears about the coronavirus’s effects on the tourism that powers the economy, with some $24 billion plunked into the country’s piggy bank yearly by those...
“Everything is normal,” maintained Elvira Garcia with Agència Setting, public relations spokesperson for a Barcelona tourism agency, though anecdotal evidence and statistics from nearby countries suggest otherwise. One employee of a local hotel chain, who didn’t want her name used, said the cancellations in February have amounted to “a disaster” — and cautioned travelers to buy travel insurance that will cover them if they change plans.
South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
U.S. Surgeon General urges people to stop buying masks amid coronavirus panicJerome Adams warned that if people stockpile masks it leaves fewer available to healthcare providers who need them as they care for infected patients.
Read more »
'We don't plan to go to war with anyone,' Putin says, amid Syria-Turkey tensionsRussian President Vladimir Putin has said that his country is not going to go to war with anyone, and that it would seek to deter any other country that considered an armed conflict with Russia.
Read more »
WarnerMedia Limits Staff Travel, Events Worldwide Amid Coronavirus Crisis'While some of these protocols may seem inconvenient, they are being taken out of an abundance of caution to keep you all safe,' Jeff Zucker told WarnerMedia news and sports employees.
Read more »