Enjoy some of the Spanish beaches or resorts and spas, discover inland areas… There are many and very diverse activities that the Imserso offers to pensioners and their companions. The 2022-2023 season started on September 5, when the retirees received the letters accrediting them to enroll in the travel programs for the Peninsula, the Balearic Islands and the Canary Islands. The ordinary period for submitting applications to obtain one of the places called for by the Tourism program closed on January 9 – it was extended after concluding on July 19, 2022-. But those furthest behind don’t have to worry because the period to participate in the next process of awarding places for the shifts from September to December is already open. In addition, the Government of Spain has announced that there will be certain changes.
Requests can be submitted in three different ways: online, electronically, through the Imserso Electronic Office, or by downloading the application form for participation. Once completed, it must be sent through electronic records and offices, or in a stamped envelope, not by certified mail, to the address of the Imserso Tourism Program, PO Box 10.140 28080 Madrid.
It is a complementary service to the benefits of the Social Security System, which aims to improve the quality of life, health and the prevention of dependency of the elderly. But, to be able to participate, residents in Spain must be retirement pensioners of the Spanish Social Security system, widows aged 55 or over, pensioners for other reasons or recipients of unemployment benefits or subsidies, aged 60 or over, or insured or beneficiaries of the Social Security System, aged 65 or over.
Deadline for submitting Imserso applications
The period to participate in the process of awarding places for Imserso trips in the 2022-2023 season is divided into two shifts: the first, for the months of February to August -both inclusive-, closed on January 9 ; the second, for the months of September to December -both inclusive-, will be open until May 15.
In addition, pensioners who wish to be included in the waiting list for places, to fill the vacancies that remain due to resignations or other circumstances, have until May 14 for shifts from February to August -both inclusive-, and until November 15, in the case of shifts from September to December –both inclusive-.
As explained on the website of the Institute for the Elderly and Social Services, in order to simplify procedures, individual communications will be sent to all applicants whose files are complete, if they meet the requirements of the previous year’s call.
Changes in Imserso trips in 2023
Imserso trips include full board accommodation and concerted activities during free time. This has no variation. But there is something that will change in the 2022-2023 season, which is the number of places and the duration of the trips, as the Government of Spain has announced.
Thus, for the trips that are made between October 2022 and June 2023, 3,000 seats have been cut, which means that it goes from the 816,000 planned, to 813,000. This is due to the fall in demand, since it is estimated that only a little more than 734,000 places will have to be contracted.
Another of the changes in the Imserso 2023 program refers to the duration. Despite the fact that 15-day trips are no longer offered, after receiving the reservations, the forecasts indicate that this year the average stay, from 7.5 days, will be interrupted to something more than 8 days. In total, about 6.5 million stays are expected.
