Economics

Spanish Hotels Become Medical Bunkhouses in Tourism Meltdown

Businesses in Spain and Italy suffer huge losses from lockdown
Some hope for a summer rebound, but it’s far from assured

An ambulance parks in front of the Hotel Colon used as a hospital in Madrid.Madrid: An ambulance is parked in front of the Hotel Colon in Madrid.Photo by Javier Carbajal/picture alliance via Getty Images

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By Jeannette Neumann and Alessandra Migliaccio

March 29, 2020 at 6:00 AM UTC

Updated on

March 29, 2020 at 10:51 AM UTC

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Before the coronavirus pandemic besieged Europe, Kike Sarasola worried about whether he was building enough hotels to capitalize on the region’s long-running tourism boom.