Roadmap for alleviating lockdown in England disappoints tourism chiefs | England holidays

England tourism bosses expressed dismay at the loss of a second Easter vacation after Boris Johnson confirmed that vacation rentals and some outdoor attractions would not reopen until April 12th at the earliest.

In a speech to Parliament on Monday setting out plans to ease the lockdown, the prime minister said standalone vacation rentals in England will not open to individuals or groups with a household until April 12th at the earliest, and not at Easter which this is The year is April 4th. Most schools will separate for two weeks from March 31st. Indoor recreational attractions and outdoor attractions – including zoos, theme parks, and drive-in theaters – are allowed to open at the same time.

However, self-caterers are frustrated that they will lose revenue during a crucial vacation time when they have already spent thousands on keeping Covid safe.

“Nobody expected a jamboree, but it is extremely disappointing to lose Easter again when we showed last year that we can operate in a Covid-safe manner. All the work we did last year to calm people down is as good this year as it was last. The risk is minimal and there is clear evidence of demand, but we cannot capitalize on it because we cannot open, ”said Deirdre Wells, General Manager of Visit Kent and Visit Hertfordshire.

“We have never felt so forgotten and irrelevant as we do now,” said Cheryl Dixon, owner of award-winning North Hayne Farm Cottages in North Devon.

“All good companies understand caution and we want to protect our visitors, but we were hoping we would get Easter with restrictions. Today’s news is very frustrating, ”she said.

While holiday homes will be able to accept guests from April 12th, hotels, hostels, B & Bs and campsites with shared facilities won’t reopen until May 17th, coinciding with the reopening of indoor pubs and restaurants. In total Johnson set four steps to ease the lockdown over a four-month periodThis led to the lifting of all limits of social contact from June 21st.

Best Western UK chief executive Rob Paterson described the news as “very worrying”. He said the majority of the 300 hotels in the group couldn’t survive staying closed for another 12 weeks. “The government needs to budget liquidity support so that businesses can survive through the summer,” he said.

“We are very surprised at the contradicting good news related to the launch of the vaccine, which saw the vast majority of vulnerable people being vaccinated ahead of time, but such a delay in reopening,” added Paterson.

Camping site Pitchup said the prime minister’s speech had an immediate impact on bookings, which increased fivefold from 4 p.m. on Monday compared to bookings in the hours leading up to the announcement. Founder Dan Yates said it was a shame to miss Easter and Pentecost, but welcomed a more positive outlook than last summer.

“Those [who booked] for late May and June are undoubtedly pleased with today’s encouraging announcement that campsites with shared wash blocks may be able to reopen from May 17th – which means late May bank holidays and halftime breaks could still be safe, ”he said.

International trips will open on May 17th after being advised by a new Global Travel Taskforce due to present its first report on April 12th. Thomas Cook reported an immediate 60% increase in traffic on its website in response to the news.

“While we wait for more details, it is clear that the government is keen to open international travel in the months ahead, hopefully in time for the summer vacation … to provide a much-needed boost to anyone starving for a break “said the manager Alan French.

EasyJet also saw an increase in bookings, particularly for beach and traditional vacation destinations, according to the Prime Minister’s statement. Flights to Malaga and Alicante in Spain, Dalaman in Turkey and Faro in Portugal were among the most booked flights in the midsummer months.

A spokeswoman said: “It definitely gave consumers the confidence to book and again shows that there is some catching up to do – people just needed the signal from the government.”

Wales has not yet released exact dates for the closure, but a Welsh government spokesman said it was considering “the possibility of reopening a stand-alone property for Easter”. The next review of restrictions in Wales will be announced on March 8th.

Scotland is expected to release an update to its restrictions on February 23rd, but not a full description of the end of the lockdown. Northern Ireland publishes its path to recovery plan on March 1st.