COVID-19 Updates – week commencing 24/05/21
More updates of developments from the government and various links to interpretation and guidance.
Go to date:
25 May 2021 …
Tourism Alliance update
Feedback for DCMS
With the move to Step 3 last week, DCMS has asked for feedback gather feedback from tourism businesses on the following issues.
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- Step 3 domestic reopening – how are businesses performing and what issues have arisen
- Step 3 international reopening – how are businesses performing and what needs to happen now
- Step 4 – what issues remain unresolved in the lead-up to Step 4
DXCMS has asked for feed back on these issues by Friday, so if you can send Tourism Alliance any comments by close of play on Thursday.
IPS Figures for 2020
ONS has published the final International passenger Survey figures for 2020. The headline stats are:
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- Overseas residents made 11.1 million visits to the UK in 2020; this was 73% fewer than in 2019 as travel reduced because of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
- Overseas residents spent £6.2 billion on their visits to the UK in 2020; this was 78% less than in 2019.
- UK residents made 23.8 million visits abroad in 2020, which was 74% fewer than the previous year because of the coronavirus pandemic.
- UK residents spent £13.8 billion on visits abroad in 2020; this was 78% less than in 2019.
On the inbound side, the 78% reduction in expenditure equates for a loss of £22.3bn for the UK economy. This, in turn, equates to around 370,000 jobs that have been put at risk. In addition, the 78% decline in outbound expenditure equates to a loss on a further £25bn to businesses in the UK such as tour operators, travel agents and transport operators which puts a further 700,000 jobs at risk.
Business Impacts of Coronavirus
ONS has produced new regional data on the impact of restrictions on businesses up until the beginning of Step 3. The data, as usual, shows that tourism/hospitality is the most impacted sector of the economy but there are quite marked regional differences. For example, the East Midlands had 79% of hospitality businesses operating between 4-16th May, while only 24% of hospitality businesses in the West Midlands were operating during this period. On a UK-wide basis 66% of hospitality businesses were operating compared with 83% of all businesses.
Similarly, 68% of hospitality businesses report a decline in revenue which is twice the percentage of UK businesses as a whole (34%) that report a decrease in turnover. These are regional variations within these figures as well with only 56% of hospitality businesses in the South West reporting a decline in revenue compared to 72& in the South East.
Northern Ireland Tourism Alliance
Contact Tracing Requirements – there was a contradiction between the regulations and NI Direct on the information that needs to be collected and held on visitors and attendees which applies to all accommodation and indoor attractions as well as hospitality. The correct procedure is as laid out in the regulations as follows:
o ‘(4) “Visitor and attendee information” means—
(a) the name and telephone number of each visitor and attendee over the age of 16; and
(b) the date of their visit or attendance and the time of their arrival.’
- Coach Tours Guidance – We have been asking about guidance for coach tours, and I have received the following information. This is the policy responsibility of Department for Infrastructure and they are currently in the process of developing guidance for this sector which can be tailored where appropriate to tourism. In the interim the link to the TNI tour guide document which was published last year includes a point for coach drivers. covid-19-protocols-for-tourist-guides-download.pdf (tourismni.com). There is no legislation which determines how this sector should operate within the constraints of COVID so the guidance will focus on the key issues of safe hygiene practices, social distancing etc.
- Regulations – the Department of Health have provided a new consolidated set of regulations which include the changes from 24th May. These can be accessed at The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2021 | Department of Health (health-ni.gov.uk)
- Loganair restores Derry to Liverpool air link – Brilliant news that Loganair commenced its new Derry to Liverpool service on Monday
Republic of Ireland
- Ireland to lift 14-day quarantine for UK holidaymakers – the UK Telegraph newspaper has reported that Ireland is set to announce this week that it will lift its 14-day quarantine for UK holidaymakers. The Irish tourist board is this week also expected to launch a multi-million pound marketing campaign to encourage visitors to the Ireland this summer. All Britons currently arriving from the UK mainland are required to quarantine for 14 days on arrival in Ireland even though the two countries are part of the Common Travel area. Under the Irish Government’s plans to kickstart summer travel, it will remove quarantine and tests allowing restriction-free travel between the UK mainland and Ireland. Travellers returning to the UK will not face quarantine under the terms of the common travel agreement. If this happens then Northern Ireland will be the only part of the CTA where testing or self-isolation is required when travelling from GB.
Other Updates
- IPS Figures for 2020 – ONS has published the final International passenger Survey figures for 2020. The headline stats are:
- Overseas residents made 11.1 million visits to the UK in 2020; this was 73% fewer than in 2019 as travel reduced because of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
- Overseas residents spent £6.2 billion on their visits to the UK in 2020; this was 78% less than in 2019.
- UK residents made 23.8 million visits abroad in 2020, which was 74% fewer than the previous year because of the coronavirus pandemic.
- UK residents spent £13.8 billion on visits abroad in 2020; this was 78% less than in 2019.
On the inbound side, the 78% reduction in expenditure equates for a loss of £22.3bn for the UK economy. This, in turn, equates to around 370,000 jobs that have been put at risk. In addition, the 78% decline in outbound expenditure equates to a loss on a further £25bn to businesses in the UK such as tour operators, travel agents and transport operators which puts a further 700,000 jobs at risk. More details at https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/leisureandtourism/articles/overseastravelandtourism2020/2021-05-24
26 May 2021 …
Tourism Alliance update:
The Government has changed the travel guidance that applies to areas with the Indian variant.
The updated guidance now reads:
In the areas listed above, wherever possible, you should try to:
- meet outside rather than inside where possible
- keep 2 metres apart from people that you don’t live with (unless you have formed a support bubble with them), this includes friends and family you don’t live with
- minimise travel in and out of affected areas
This is a change from Friday where it said that people should only travel in or out of these areas for essential reasons and means that there is no need for customers or businesses to cancel bookings.
