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 - Further Welsh Government support for businesses impacted by Covid restrictions; Keeping visitors and Wales safe this summer; Full business rates discount continues in Wales; Measures extended to protect businesses from eviction until end of September 2021; Skills and Recruitment; We’re Good to Go celebrates its first anniversary; Tourism Business Barometer; Make your business accessible; June CJRS claims; Providing information for Revaluation 2023; EU adopts ‘adequacy’ decisions allowing data to continue flowing freely to the UK
Economy Minister confirms further Welsh Government support for businesses impacted by Covid restrictions
Businesses in Wales that continue to be affected by Covid restrictions will receive up to £25,000 of additional support from the Welsh Government, Economy Minister, Vaughan Gething announced this week.
The emergency package of support will cover the operating costs for July and August 2021 of businesses required to remain closed and who remain severely impacted as a result of the continuation of the restrictions.
Eligible businesses in the hospitality, leisure and tourism sectors and their supply chains who continue to be severely impacted by restrictions, such as travel agents, attractions limited by social distancing and venues for school visits, will also be eligible to apply for support.
An eligibility checker will open on the Business Wales website on the 5th of July, which will allow businesses to check their eligibility for the support and the amount of support they are eligible to apply for, which will help them to start preparing their applications.
The fund will open to applications from Tuesday 13th July 2021, and will remain open for a 2 week period, closing on Friday 23rd July 2021.
Read the announcement in full on Gov.Wales.
Keeping visitors and Wales safe this summer
At an online session hosted by Visit Wales, tourism businesses had the opportunity to hear from the RNLI and AdventureSmart UK on how to help guests and visitors stay safer in the outdoors this summer.
With 870 miles of stunning coastline to explore, the RNLI in Wales is offering coastal safety advice and guidance for anyone looking to get out on the ocean and involved in the numerous water pursuits available, it was also an opportunity to promote the RNLI local water ambassadors scheme where businesses based on the coast can help save lives by championing key water safety messages in local communities across Wales. Chris Cousens, RNLI, said: “It was fantastic to have the opportunity to talk to so many tourism businesses about the importance of water safety and discuss how the RNLI and Adventure Smart UK can support them in helping people enjoy open water safety this summer and beyond.
“We know that 30 million people plan to visit the coast this summer and we want as many of them as possible to choose a lifeguarded beach, float to live if they’re in trouble in the water and know to call 999 or 112 and ask for Coastguard in an emergency.
“We very much hope some of the businesses in attendance at the event today will join the hundreds who have already signed up to the RNLI Local Ambassador Scheme at RNLI.org/LocalAmbassador.”
Also taking part in the session were Paul Donovan & Emma Edwards-Jones, project managers for adventuresmart.uk, which aims to reduce the number of avoidable incidents which the rescue and emergency services deal with each year. Paul Donovan, said: “AdventureSmart is a national campaign to engage people positively with the simple information they need to take responsibility for they own safety and comfort while enjoying the outdoors. Whilst the campaign promotes outdoor recreation, it emphasises the potential for having a more enjoyable and comfortable day by following the simple messages. This event is a great opportunity to reach out and support tourism businesses in sharing simple yet effective messages that have been agreed and are already supported by over 70 adventure sector organisations.”
Economy Minister, Vaughan Gething, said; “With more people holidaying at home this year, understandably they will be heading out to enjoy Wales’ natural environment to experience the power of nature in lifting our spirits – it’s also important that they have the correct information to keep themselves and our communities safe.
“Visit Wales’ Addo campaign has been running since restrictions were lifted in March to encourage the people of Wales and visitors to remain respectful of the countryside and the communities we visit by making a promise to care for each other, our land and our communities. Wales is the first UK nation to launch an initiative of this kind - encouraging visitors to sign their pledge to help care and protect the people and places they visit. Promoting safety as we venture out over the summer is part of this campaign.”
The virtual pledge can be signed on visitwales.com/promise.
Full business rates discount continues in Wales
The Welsh Government is reminding retail, leisure and hospitality businesses in Wales they won’t have to pay any rates until April 2022 as full discounts in England have come to an end (from 1 July).
In March, the UK Government announced its 100 per cent retail, leisure and hospitality rates relief holiday would reduce on June 30, with a 66 per cent discount coming into effect for the rest of the financial year.
In Wales, the Welsh Government has extended the full 100 per cent discount for all businesses and charities in the leisure and hospitality sectors until April 2022. Retailers in properties with a rateable value of up to £500k will also continue to receive full discounts on their rates for the remainder of the year.
The £380m package is providing small and medium sized businesses in Wales struggling to cope with the impacts of the pandemic a much-needed boost. It operates in addition to our permanent relief schemes which are providing £240m of relief to ratepayers across Wales this year.
Read the announcement in full on Gov.Wales.
Welsh Government extends measures to protect businesses from eviction until end of September 2021
Businesses affected by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic will now be protected from eviction until the end of September 2021, Economy Minister Vaughan Gething has announced.
As part of interventions the Welsh Government is making to support businesses, the moratorium against forfeiture for the non-payment of rent will now be extended until September 30, 2021. It was originally due to end on June 30, 2021.
This measure will ensure businesses will not forfeit their business tenancies for non-payment of rent until 30 September this year, but businesses should continue to pay rent wherever possible, and it is in the interests of both landlords and tenants to reach negotiated agreements on any arrears.
The move will help a range of sectors including retail, hospitality, leisure and tourism at what continues to be an incredibly challenging trading period, whilst Coronavirus restrictions ease.
Read the announcement in full on Gov.Wales.
Skills and Recruitment:
Travel, tourism, hospitality and catering sector review: Online Questionnaires
- Are Travel, Tourism, Hospitality and Catering qualifications in Wales meeting the needs of learners, learning providers and employers?
- Do they prepare learners well for employment?
- What improvements could be made for the future?
Qualifications Wales want to hear your views about the qualifications, and the qualifications system in the travel, tourism, hospitality and catering sector.
We are encouraging learners, learning providers and employers to take part.
If you have any questions about the questionnaire, please contact
travelandtourism@qualificationswales.org
Acas webinars for employers
Acas experts run regular webinars on employment law topics and employment relations.
They're free to join, you just need to register in advance. Spaces are limited. Visit the Business Wales website for more details.
We will continue to collate and share this type of information, in the meantime please contact your local college to see if they can help with advertising your vacancies.
For further information on skills, recruitment and training support for your business, as well as other support such as wellbeing for employers and employees, visit our Skills pages.
We’re Good to Go celebrates its first anniversary
It is now 12 months since “We’re Good To Go” was launched which has received over 6070 applications from businesses in Wales so a massive congratulations to everyone who has worked so hard to make their business or destination Covid-safe for customers.
If you haven’t signed up yet, please do – it’s a simple process and it will mean that your business can use the industry standard mark to give confidence to your visitors that you have clear processes in place and are following industry and Government COVID-19 guidance on cleanliness and social distancing.
The scheme is being used across the UK and prospective visitors are increasingly on the lookout for venues and services taking part, when planning their trip.
It will continue to be a core part of Visit Wales messaging to consumers and users on VisitWales.com can search all products via the “Good to Go” filter option.
This mark is now also recognised by the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) as a means of customer reassurance in an international context, as it meets WTTC’s international global standardised health and hygiene protocols.
Tourism Business Barometer
The latest Wales Tourism Business COVID-19 Barometer report (Wave 7) has been published.
This Barometer assesses COVID-19 impact on businesses in the Welsh tourism industry and has included a series of questions about advance bookings and staff recruitment issues. Results show a mixed performance over May half term with one in five open operators having more customers than a normal year and 28% having fewer.
Make your business accessible
One in five people in the UK have an impairment, which may affect where they choose to stay or visit. Improving your accessibility benefits all customers and does not always require major or expensive changes – simply providing a free Accessibility Guide for your venue can help you be more inclusive for people with a wide range of visible and hidden impairments.
VisitBritain has produced guidance, tools and resources to help your business provide access for all.
In addition, Euan’s Guide offers its top 10 tips to help venues to support disabled customers during the Covid-19 pandemic.
You can now make June CJRS claims
Claims under the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) are now open for pay periods in June 2021.
You must submit your claim for June 2021 by 14 July 2021.
Here’s a future claim dates reminder:
- for furlough days in July 2021 submit claim by 16 August 2021
- for furlough days in August 2021 submit claim by 14 September 2021
- for furlough days in September 2021 submit claim by 14 October 2021
For further information please visit GOV.UK.
Providing information for Revaluation 2023
The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) is contacting businesses to request information to support the current revaluation of business rates in England and Wales.
Once ratepayers receive a request via letter, they need to go online and submit their up-to-date details. For some specialist property classes you’ll be asked to provide your information by email instead, so once you receive a request please follow the instructions on your letter.
You can find more details on the Business Wales website.
EU adopts ‘adequacy’ decisions allowing data to continue flowing freely to the UK
UK businesses and other organisations will benefit from unrestricted personal data transfers.
Personal data can continue to flow freely between Europe and the UK following agreement by the European Union to adopt ‘data adequacy’ decisions.
Visit the Business Wales website for more 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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