 Coronavirus: Tourism Industry Update
The situation is developing quickly. Please follow the news reports and for latest advice regularly visit the Public Health Wales website and the Business Wales website
We’re Good to Go
Visit Wales has worked with the other national tourism organisations on a UK-wide industry standard and consumer mark to provide reassurance as the sector works towards reopening.
The We’re Good To Go industry standard and supporting mark means businesses can demonstrate that they are adhering to the respective Government and public health guidance, have carried out a COVID-19 risk assessment and checked that they have the required processes in place.
The scheme is free to join and open to all businesses across the industry.
To obtain the mark, businesses must complete a self-assessment through an online platform including a check-list confirming they have put the necessary processes in place, before receiving certification and the We’re Good To Go mark for display in their premises and online.
Businesses in Wales will be able to apply for the mark from early next week.
You can find more details on the Good to Go website.
First Minister Mark Drakeford has today announced a Start-Up Grant to support new businesses dealing with the severe impact of Coronavirus.
The fund will be worth £5m initially with flexibility for the future. It will support start-up firms, which fall outside the UK Government’s Self Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) as they only began trading in 2019.
Applications for this grant will open on 29 June.
To be eligible for the Start-Up Grant of £2,500 businesses must:
- not have received funding from the Economic Resilience Fund or the Non-Domestic Rates grant
- have been set up between the 1 April 2019 and 1 March 2020 and not qualify for Self Employment Income Support Scheme
- have turnover less than £50,000
- have a drop of more than 50% income between April-June 2020
Further details are available on the Business Wales website.
You can read the full press release at Gov.Wales.
The ERF Phase 2 Questions & Answers are now available on the Business Wales website.
The online eligibility checker has reopened to allow companies time to prepare their applications, and businesses will be able to make applications for support on 29 June 2020.
Complete the COVID-19 support eligibility checker to find out if your business is eligible.
Extension of the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS)
If you’re eligible, you must make your claim for the first grant on or before 13 July 2020.
This scheme is being extended, and you’ll be able to claim a second and final grant in August 2020. Your eligibility will be worked out in the same way as the first grant. If you make a claim for the second grant you will have to confirm your business has been adversely affected on or after 14 July 2020.
Further details are available on the Business Wales website.
The COVID-19 non-domestic rates (NDR) grant schemes will be closing to new applications at 5pm on 30 June 2020.
If you are eligible and you have not already applied, please ensure that you apply via your local authority before this date.
Any applications received after 5pm on 30 June 2020 will not be considered.
More details are available on the Business Wales website.
As part of the UK Government’s support for businesses during COVID-19, HMRC gave businesses the option of deferring their VAT payments if they were unable to pay on time, without incurring late payment interest or penalties. Payment of VAT falling due between 20 March and 30 June 2020 can be deferred until 31 March 2021.
The option to defer paying VAT ends on 30 June 2020. This means that VAT returns with a payment due date after 30 June must be paid in full, on time. You can find more information on the Business Wales website.
Salesforce is partnering with Enterprise Nation to offer eligible small businesses the opportunity to receive a £5,000 grant to help them through the COVID-19 outbreak.
Applications will open in six regional phases throughout the UK. Phases are based on location and will not affect your likelihood for receiving a grant. Applications for Wales will open at 8:00 am on 13 July 2020 and close at 11:59 pm on 19 July 2020.
Eligibility requirements will apply. Visit the Business Wales website for more details.
The UK Government’s Statutory Sick Pay Rebate Scheme continues to provide financial support to small and medium-sized employers.
If you’re an employer with fewer than 250 employees, and if you’ve paid SSP to employees for coronavirus-related sickness absence, you could be eligible for support.
You can find more information at the Business Wales website.
Job Retention Scheme
The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme will close on 31 October 2020 and updated UK Government guidance is available on the Business Wales website.
Stay up to date with tourism industry news
We are committed to providing the support and assurance the business community needs during these unprecedented difficult times and have issued several Coronavirus (COVID-19) related bulletins which can be found on the Tourism Industry Coronavirus (COVID-19) Bulletins page. The most recent bulletins are below:
- 19 June: Coronavirus: Tourism Industry Update
- 11 June: Coronavirus: Tourism Industry Update
- 09 June: Economic Resilience Fund; First Minister statement on tourism
- 05 June: Coronavirus (COVID-19): Tourism Industry Update
- 03 June: Bulletin - Self-Employment Support Scheme and furlough next steps; Economic Resilience Fund; COVID-19 Consumer Sentiment Tracker; Business Interruption Insurance; Test, Trace, Protect: employer guidance; Best Practice Guidance on working safely
Make sure you stay up to date with tourism industry news by following us on Twitter @VisitWalesBiz and also encourage others who may benefit, to stay up to date by subscribing to our newsletter.
Business Wales is providing businesses with tailored support and advice about dealing with coronavirus, from financial and supply chain planning to advice on staffing issues. We would advise Tourism businesses and stakeholders in Wales wanting specific guidance to visit the Business Wales website or call Business Wales helpline on 03000 6 03000, and to regularly visit the Public Health Wales website for up-to-date public health information for you, your staff and your visitors.
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