Wales’ tourism sector starts to re-open as restrictions are relaxed
Wales’ tourism sector will be able to start re-opening from Saturday March 27 as the stay-local rule is lifted, First Minister Mark Drakeford has announced.
The rules will also be changed to enable organised outdoor activities and sports for children and under-18s to take place and up to six people from two different households to meet and exercise outdoors.
The relaxations continue the Welsh Government’s planned, step-by-step approach to relaxing the coronavirus restrictions, taking account of the highly-infectious Kent variant, which is now the dominant form of the virus in Wales.
These are the final stages of the relaxations in this three-week review cycle and they follow the successful return of primary pupils and many older secondary school and college students to face-to-face learning and the start of the phased re-opening of non-essential retail, including the opening of hairdressers and barbers.
Wales is moving out of alert level four, and now starting to move into level three. Welsh Ministers will consider further alert level three measures in the next review of the regulations.
First Minister Mark Drakeford said:
“These further relaxations are part of our careful and phased approach to unlocking the restrictions and enabling people and businesses to resume their activities in the safest possible way.
“We’re only able to do this because of the sacrifices everyone across Wales has made over the last few months – everything you are doing to keep your loved ones safe is also keeping Wales safe.
“The public health position remains stable; our incredible vaccination programme goes from strength to strength – we have headroom to make these changes.”
Self-contained holiday accommodation, including hotels with en-suite facilities and room service, will be able to reopen to people from the same household or support bubble.
The stay local rule will be replaced by an interim all-Wales travel area, which will remain in place until April 12, subject to the public health situation. For the next two weeks, only those with a reasonable excuse, such as work, will be able to travel into or out of Wales.
The current restrictions on international travel for holidays will remain in place.
Other changes include:
- Six people from two different households, excluding children under 11, will be able to meet and exercise outdoors and in private gardens;
- Organised outdoor activities and sports for children and under 18s will be able to resume;
- There will be a limited opening of outdoor areas of some historic places and gardens;
- Libraries and archives will be able to re-open.
First Minister Mark Drakeford said:
“We are taking a step-by step approach to relaxing restrictions and want to carry on being able to open up Wales.
“To do that we need everyone’s help. That means staying vigilant for signs of infection; isolating if we have symptoms and arranging to get tested.
“It also means following the basic steps to keep us all safe while we’re out and about – keeping our distance from others; not mixing indoors; avoiding crowds; washing our hands regularly and wearing face coverings.”
The next review of the regulations will take place next week. Welsh Ministers will consider the following relaxations, which will come into effect from April 12, subject to the public health situation:
- All pupils and students can return to schools, colleges and other education;
- All shops and close contact services can open;
- The interim all-Wales travel area can be lifted.
Tourism and hospitality businesses must take all reasonable measures to minimise the risk of exposure to the virus and should not knowingly accept customers in breach of the travel restrictions.
Coronavirus (COVID-19) Guidance for Tourism and Hospitality Businesses
As we look at a phased re-opening, you need to be aware of the Guidance for Tourism and Hospitality businesses.
As each premises is different, businesses should read all guidance to understand the measures to be considered to re-open the business safely.
The following additional measures are intended to provide further advice for self-contained accommodation businesses and must be considered in line with the UKHospitality Wales Guidance and the Guidance for Tourism and Hospitality.
Businesses should also consider, where appropriate:
- Strengthening their policy on safe disposal of face coverings for staff and visitors
- Introducing measures for staff and visitors, on arrival, such as taking temperature tests, asking people to sanitise their hands and asking questions around whether they are displaying any symptoms.
- Considering the flow of guests/visitors and how to avoid any household mixing by keeping guests/visitors apart as they move around the premises throughout their visit/stay, with particular regard to enclosed public areas such as lifts, stairs and corridors
- Instructing guests/visitors to move through enclosed public areas as quickly as possible, and to avoid shouting or singing in such areas
- Within accommodation, ensuring that guests keep the doors to their rooms closed at all times, apart from when entering and leaving.
- Staggering room service/laundry delivery etc to rooms, to avoid guests opening doors and coming out at the same time.
- Reviewing their incident and emergency procedures to ensure they reflect the physical distancing principles as far as possible, including considering how to minimise household-mixing when congregating in fire assembly areas.
A list of Frequently Asked Questions in relation to Coronavirus is also updated regularly on Gov.Wales. Please note, these don’t yet include the most recent planned changes to restrictions announced today - check back regularly.
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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