The Legal Impacts of COVID-19 in the Travel, Tourism and Hospitality Industry

4 establishments are considered as essential services 13 , not including the hostelry, catering or tourist accommodation. Previously, in order to reduce the mobility of the population to control the expansion of COVID-19, Royal Decree-Law No. 10/2020, of 29 March, was approved, regulating recoverable paid leave for employees who do not provide essential services, in order to reduce population mobility, in the context of the fight against the coronavirus 14 . On 30 March, Order SND/307/2020 was published, establishing the interpretative criteria for the application of Royal Decree-Law No. 10/2020. 15 Article 10.6 of Royal Decree No. 463/2020 included a series of containment measures related to commercial activity, among which included hotel and restaurant activities, as well as other additional ones. It considers the closure of certain establishments, and, not being an exhaustive list, there is no numerus clausus established with respect to them. It was also indicated that the Minister of Health could modify, expand or restrict the measures, places, establishments and activities indicated, for justified reasons of public health, and this suspension could be extended to other assumptions deemed necessary. Royal Decree-Law No. 11/2020, of 31 March, adopting supplementary urgent measures in the social and economic field to deal with COVID-19 16 , precisely mentions the tourism sector within the measures to sustain economic activity in transitional difficulties because of COVID-19, when it refers to support for industrialisation and indicates that it is necessary to continue supporting companies in the tourism sector. This crisis has led to the total paralysis of the tourism sector: from the limitation to the free movement of people and the limitations on national and international connectivity to destinations, to the closure of tourist establishments, including accommodation, restaurants and others companies of the value chain. In order to ensure the liquidity and, therefore, the viability of the tourist companies, the payment of interest and repayment 13 BOE No. 91, 01 April 2020. 14 BOE No. 87, 29 March 2020. 15 BOE No. 89, 30 March 2020. 16 BOE nº 91, 01 April 2020.