Coronavirus: Tourism Industry Update
Please follow the news reports and for latest advice regularly visit the Public Health Wales website and the Business Wales website
BULLETIN CONTENTS - Accommodation providers must seek permission for key workers opening; Gŵyl Dewi 2021 St David's Day – Content toolkit now live; Smoke-free laws - Changes from 1 March 2021; Emergency funding for flood-hit businesses from Welsh Government; Your National Forest for Wales; All Wales coastal environment training events; Reminder: Broadband competition for event venues; HMRC Employer Bulletin February 2021; Data Protection Practitioners' Conference 2021; EU Transition Information
Accommodation providers must seek permission for key workers opening
If properties have requests to accommodate key workers, we remind you that the accommodation needs (on a case by case basis) to present an application to its Local Authority in order to be given the go ahead to open and accommodate the key workers.
Please note that without this permission the accommodation should not open up for this purpose.
Gŵyl Dewi 2021 St David's Day – Content toolkit now live
As part of our digital festival over the St David’s Day weekend, we’ll be showcasing Wales across social media with stories of the people, culture, businesses and communities. (Details can be found in Visit Wales newsletter, 11 February)
You can now access a collection of assets and materials to help us celebrate St David’s Day 2021. Please take a look at our Gŵyl Dewi 2021 St David's Day content toolkit and join us from today in amplifying content through your own channels - using the hashtags #GwylDewi #StDavidsDay and the following:
Follow Wales’ main social channels ahead of the event and share our content to get your audiences involved:
Please share this with your own stakeholders - businesses, groups or organisations in Wales or international partners - who can help amplify our content or might want to get involved. If you have any queries, please email enquiries.wales@gov.wales.
Smoke-free laws - Changes from 1 March 2021
On 1 March, the law around where people can smoke in Wales is changing. This means that hospital grounds, school grounds, public playgrounds, and outdoor care settings for children will be required to be smoke-free. It will be an offence to smoke in a smoke-free area and anyone caught breaking the law could face a £100 fine.
The legislation will also make changes in the tourism sector. There are currently exemptions that allow smoking in self-contained holiday and temporary accommodation (cottages, caravans, chalets and Airbnb etc.) and for hotels, guesthouses, inns, hostels and members’ clubs to have smoking bedrooms. The new legislation keeps these exemptions, but only for a limited time (until 1 March 2022). It also requires that designated smoking bedrooms in place in hotels etc. before 1 March 2022, meet certain conditions.
Therefore, from 1 March 2022 all types of self-contained holiday and temporary accommodation and all hotels, guest houses and inns etc will be required to be smoke-free. We have provided 12 months to enable businesses to phase out any smoking accommodation and convert it to become smoke-free.
Further information on the changes is available on the Welsh Government website.
If you have any questions on the introduction of the legislation or its requirements, please contact the tobacco policy team on TobaccoPolicy@gov.wales.
Emergency funding for flood-hit businesses from Welsh Government
Businesses in Wales affected by recent devastating floods will be able to access up to £2,500 of emergency Welsh Government funding.
The Business Flood Relief Grant opens to applications today, with firms affected by flooding able to claim support to help them stabilise their operations.
The funding follows damage and disruption caused by Storm Bella in December last year and Storm Christoph in January.
It will be administered by Business Wales and will support firms with the costs of recovery and repair, and help them to meet the cost of renting alternative space and retaining staff.
It will remain open to businesses affected by any further storms before the end of March, funds permitting. Eligibility criteria will apply. To apply, visit the Business Wales website.
Read the announcement in full on Gov.Wales.
Your National Forest for Wales
It is Your National Forest for Wales and it is for everyone, for generations to come.
Welsh Government is holding a series of free online events on 10-12 March focussing on your views on the development of the National Forest. These sessions will explore the benefits of woodlands and trees for all, demonstrating how valuable a commodity trees are not just from an economic perspective, but for social connectivity, engaging with nature, our wellbeing, supporting biodiversity and climate change.
The event will soon go live, but to register your interest in advance, email nationalforestwales@gov.wales.
All Wales coastal environment training events
Pembrokeshire Coastal Forum (PCF) are hosting a series of free all-Wales training events on behalf of The Welsh Partnership of Local Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) who are taking this work forward via funding from Welsh Government’s MPA Network Management Action Plan.
For an opportunity to learn more about the coastline of Wales and to book your free place, please visit the Pembrokeshire Coastal Forum website.
Reminder: Broadband competition for event venues
In August 2020, the UK government launched a new scheme to improve broadband connectivity in event venues, enabling them to receive full fibre access. This scheme builds on commitments from the Tourism Sector Deal and the UK government’s International Business Events Action Plan.
The second round of the broadband competition for event venues is now open until 2 March 2021. Applicants can apply for a portion of £200,000 funding towards the costs of digital infrastructure for their venues.
For further information please visit the GOV.UK website.
HMRC employer bulletin February 2021
HMRC publishes the employer bulletin six times a year, giving employers and agents the latest information on topics and issues that may affect them.
February’s bulletin covers a range of subjects including the following:
- Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.
- VAT deferral new payment scheme – opt-in from the end of February 2021.
Read more on the Business Wales website.
Data Protection Practitioners' Conference 2021
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) have announced that the Data Protection Practitioners' Conference (DPPC) will take on 14 April 2021 digitally. If you’re interested in registering please visit the Business Wales website.
EU TRANSITION INFORMATION:
Make sure you stay up to date with how to prepare your business for the new rules between the UK and the EU, by visiting the Business Wales EU Transition Portal.
The new relationship with the EU: What it means for Wales
The new relationship with the EU: What it means for Wales document sets out the implications of the new relationship between the UK and the EU as set out in the Trade Cooperation Agreement for citizens, business, and communities in Wales as well as for our future security.
EU transition helplines
A list of UK government helplines organised by theme and key actions for businesses has been published. Visit the Business Wales website for details.
Useful COVID-19 information
As each premises is different, businesses should read all guidance. This continues to be updated so please check back regularly for the latest information.
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.
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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