PortAventura reopens doors with temperature controls and mandatory masks on rides

PortAventura World, Catalonia's most famous theme park, reopened on Wednesday with enhanced health and safety measures in light of the Covid-19 health crisis.

5,000 visitors passed through the gates and the new temperature controls on the first day of the park's 25th anniversary season, and the experience was seamless for some: "Our temperature? They didn't take ours," said Daniela, a tourist from Madrid.

The company has installed a large tent with thermal cameras through which everyone had to pass.

With capacity capped at 30% this season, there was a feeling of spaciousness throughout the park.

One of the other new safety measures, wearing face masks - even when on the rides - drew mixed reactions. "You don't notice anything. It's the same feeling as always," said Genís from Igualada. Ivet, on the other hand, did not like the experience. "It makes me feel anxious, as if I'm drowning, she said. "For me it's not the same."

PortAventura is confident that sales will be good over the summer. "Hotel reservations have continued to grow in the last week and we are also seeing a good pace in the purchase of tickets," said general manager Fernando Aldecoa.

The theme park, near Salou in the south of Catalonia, has invested some four million euros aimed at preventing any coronavirus outbreaks.

Four of the resort's six hotels are opening initially, with their capacity curbed to between 60% and 80%.

Aldecoa says this year they will be especially reliant on visitors from Catalonia, Spain and the south of France, to make up for the decline in tourism from further afield.