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: REMINDER - NHS COVID Pass: promotional pack; Oral Statements: Update on COVID-19, Net-Zero Strategy, A Greener Economy; First Minister travels to COP26 to meet world leaders; Tax policy framework update; Good ventilation can help reduce the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace; ONS Travel and Tourism Statistics Consultation – User Webinars; International Passenger Survey: provisional data for Q2 2021; Covid 19 UK Consumer sentiment tracker survey
REMINDER - NHS COVID Pass: promotional pack
The NHS COVID Pass: promotional pack can be downloaded from Gov.Wales. Businesses are encouraged to display and share these posters, images and videos to promote and explain the NHS COVID Pass.
Oral Statements: Update on COVID-19; Net-Zero Strategy; A Greener Economy
Oral Statements have been made in the Senedd on 2 November 2021 as follows –
First Minister travels to COP26 to meet world leaders
First Minister Mark Drakeford boarded a train (Monday 1 November) from Cardiff to Glasgow and joined world leaders for the UN Climate Conference in Scotland.
His message to people in Wales is the power of collective action. Smaller countries, like Wales, can achieve great things when everyone works together – and that’s the difference the world needs now to tackle climate change.
Wales was the first country in the world to declare a climate emergency, in April 2019, and since then has:
- Published a net zero plan, setting out a decade of action to tackle the climate crisis.
- Started a roads review into new road projects in Wales, recognising the need to move away from spending money on projects that encourage more people to drive, instead redirecting funding towards maintaining existing roads and investing in real alternatives to private transport, such as public and active transport.
- Committed to build 20,000 high quality, low carbon homes for rent over the next five years.
Wales punches well above its weight in terms of recycling and proudly holds the position of the best country for household recycling in the UK, the second best in Europe and third best in the world.
Read the announcement in full on Gov.Wales.
Tax policy framework update
The Welsh tax policy framework has been updated setting out the Welsh Government’s approach to developing tax policy, its strategic objectives and how these will be taken forward.
The priorities align with the Welsh Government’s strategic objectives and reflect its commitment to delivering a fairer, greener, more equal Wales. These priorities include to consult on legislation permitting local authorities to raise a tourism levy.
Find out more on Gov.Wales.
Good ventilation can help reduce the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace
HSE is continuing to update its ventilation guidance encouraging all workplaces to continue to work safely.
As more people have returned to the workplace, using good ventilation can help to reduce how much virus is in the air.
This helps reduce the risk from aerosol transmission and the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace.
Guidance has been updated on their website to include our new simple summary of how good ventilation helps you reduce the spread of COVID-19.
With winter approaching there is revised guidance on balancing ventilation with keeping warm.
There is also a series of new ventilation guidance videos on HSE’s YouTube channel.
Visit the Business Wales website for more details.
ONS Travel and Tourism Statistics Consultation – User Webinars
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) is leading a review of travel and tourism statistics covering inbound, outbound and domestic travel in the UK. The review covers information collected by the International Passenger Survey, Great Britain Tourism Survey, Great Britain Day visits survey, as well as the opportunity to gather information from new alternative data sources. This work is seeking to gain a comprehensive understanding of user needs and to explore how best they can be met in a changing environment.
The ONS has launched a consultation and is interested in receiving the views of all sectors of the tourism industry in Wales who are users of travel and tourism statistics. Submit your response: Consultation - proposed future approach to measure travel and tourism statistics - Office for National Statistics - Citizen Space.
ONS will be running two online user events to share further details on the consultation and answer any questions users might have on the consultation or how to respond. To register email travel.and.tourism@ons.gov.uk stating which session you would like to attend (the webinar link and presentation materials will be sent to you in advance):
- Tuesday 16 November 2.30pm-3.30pm
- Tuesday 23 November 2.30pm- 3.30pm
International Passenger Survey: provisional data for Q2 2021
The Office of National Statistics (ONS) has published provisional Q2 2021 results of the International Passenger Survey (IPS). The IPS survey was operational at UK airports but not at sea or tunnel ports, so these estimates are based on flight data only. The data is being published quarterly at for the UK (not for Wales) on the VisitBritain site along with additional detail on year-to-date figures.
Data shows inbound trips to the UK are down -97% and outbound trips from the UK down -95% for Q2 2021, compared with air passenger figures in the same period of 2019.
However, recent flight booking data from VisitBritain indicates that trip taking picked up during Q3 2021 with easing of travel restrictions and their latest central scenario forecast for inbound travel to the UK in 2021 is for 7.4 million visits and £5.3 billion spend.
Covid 19 UK Consumer sentiment tracker survey
After a short pause, plans are now in place for phase 4 of the UK Consumer travel survey. This will now move to monthly reporting, running from November 2021 to April 2022 and will cover the crucial planning period for UK holidays next year. Reports will continue to be published monthly on the VisitBritain website.
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.
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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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