Even if you live abroad, you can benefit from the bonus.
advertisementpensioners Spain You are being given bonuses that many can only dream of.
Millions of older people, both Spaniards and foreigners living in Spain, are eligible for highly subsidized travel, costing as little as €115 for a short holiday or €455 for a longer holiday.
Launched by the Spanish government in 2021, the trip has steadily grown in popularity since the post-COVID-19 increase in travel.
Here’s everything you need to know about this system.
What is the IMSERSO subsidized leave scheme in Spain?
The Institute of Social Services for the Elderly (IMSERSO) is a government agency responsible for administering social services.
One of its main objectives is to make vacations affordable for seniors. Spain.
The idea is that by helping pensioners take affordable leave, it will improve their health and quality of life, which will of course be good for the social security budget. It is expected that their self-sufficiency rate will also improve.
The scheme will also benefit the economy and tourism industry. The majority of subsidized travel is to be traveled in the off-season (usually between October and June), which means more people will be employed in the sector for longer periods of time. means.
Who is eligible for subsidized leave in Spain? Does that include expatriates?
The good news for members of Spain’s large expat community, the largest in Europe, is that this trip is not only available to Spaniards, but also to legal residents.
Regardless of whether you are a native Spanish speaker or not, you are eligible to apply for this program if: foreigner:
• Are retired and receive a Spanish state pension.
• Widows or those receiving widow pension who are 55 years of age or older.
• People who are 60 years of age or older and receive unemployment benefits or subsidies.
• Are over 60 years old and are holders or beneficiaries of the Spanish social security system.
However, there is no guarantee that your application will be accepted. The government is prioritizing the elderly, people with limited means, people with disabilities, and people in large companies. family.
Priority will be given to first-time applicants, as well as those wishing to travel during the low season (October to June).
If accepted, you can travel with either alone If you do not meet the requirements but have a spouse, common law partner, or child with a disability.
What kind of leave does this scheme provide?
Most of my trips are within Spain, but there are a few trips that cross the border. Portugal.
advertisementFor a short trip costing around 115 euros, vacationers will spend an average of four days in a typical “break” location in the interior of the country.
The 455 euro holidays are typically 10 days long and allow beneficiaries to visit coastal areas and the Spanish islands. canary islands and Balearic Islands.
Prices can be even lower, especially if you are on a low income.
It typically includes all transportation, accommodation, and meals, as well as group insurance and access to social and cultural programs.
A total of 886,269 places are available for the 2023/4 season, which is 70,000 more places than last year.
advertisementThe number of states included in the plan has increased and there are now 10 new cultural circuits, 19 new natural routes and an increased number of single-occupancy rooms. It rose from 2% to 10%.
Those traveling to areas of special cultural interest can expect an itinerary filled with cultural themes such as literature, music, theater, and gastronomy.
How do I apply for IMERSO’s low-cost holiday scheme?
Participants can use their ID cards to book travel to destinations through the official website (www.turismosocial.com).
It is also possible to make reservations with only an ID card at IMSERSO tourism program certified travel agencies.
Although there is no guarantee of a place, a significantly larger budget of €300 million has been set for the 2023/4 season, meaning more people will be able to take advantage of these holidays.
advertisementCould this plan spread to other parts of Europe?
Travel outside of Spain is currently offered to: Portugal by IMSERSO – But Spanish tourism authorities want to expand the scheme across Europe.
The Spanish Tourism Authority, together with Spain’s Secretary of State for Tourism, proposed that all other European countries consider implementing the scheme. Fernando Valdezhas previously said that millions of European pensioners could benefit from similar projects if other countries set them up.
Mr. Valdez will visit in 2022 dijon He gave a presentation in France and explained that older people make up about 21 percent of the EU’s total population.
He added that on average they spend about 5.6% of their income on: sightseeingsuggesting that bloc-wide government subsidies could significantly increase this number.
Until then, the Spanish government will continue to expand its own plans. One of our recent additions is the Hydrotherapy IMSERSO program. This allows pensioners to access spas across the country (which are often prohibitively expensive for low-income earners) at similarly low prices.
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