As tourist drought idles workers, Spain weaves a makeshift safety net

Daniel González and his sister opened their hotel in 2003 in Asturias, northwest Spain, after taking out a loan to remodel an old townhouse. Seven years later, during the financial crisis, they sliced costs, doubled their working hours, and renegotiated their loan terms to stay open.

Now, emerging from Spain’s coronavirus lockdown, they are mulling the benefits of reopening with a bare-bones staff, complex and costly hygiene requirements, and only a modest trickle of bookings. But were it not for the support provided by the government’s response, things might be even grimmer.

“COVID forced us to shut down, but there is government help,” says Mr. González. “We