BRITS who need a holiday this year will be looking closer to home as travel bans, quarantines and limited flights put them off a trip abroad. While the rules in England currently permit day trips of any distance away, there are different rules elsewhere in the UK. Hotels, caravan parks restaurants and cafes also hope […]
BRITS who need a holiday this year will be looking closer to home as travel bans, quarantines and limited flights put them off a trip abroad.
While the rules in England currently permit day trips of any distance away, there are different rules elsewhere in the UK.
Hotels, caravan parks restaurants and cafes also hope to open in England by next month, with limited reopenings from July 4.
While new safety guidelines and guest restrictions will be in place, it means that holidays could go ahead this summer.
Scotland, Wales and Ireland, however, have been slower to welcome the tourism industry back, with five-mile limits still in place in some regions.
Here is everything you need to know about a holiday across the UK this year.
Currently, travelling to Scotland is not allowed, as non-essential travel is still banned.
The country is still within phase one – this means day trips and excursions are still not permitted, unlike the UK.
Some flights are in operation, with easyJet offering domestic routes to Glasgow, but these are not currently advised for non-essential reasons.
Hotels, bars, camping sites and pubs could all open by next month in the next phase of lockdown.
A Scottish Government spokesperson confirmed the plan was for indoor areas of businesses like pubs to be open from July 15.
It’s also possible pubs and restaurants will be able to open beer gardens and outdoor areas later this month, in advance of the planned big reopening on July 15.
Outdoor spaces at bars and other hospitality outlets such as hotels and holiday parks are listed as a possibility for “phase two” – which could start on June 19.
A Scottish Government spokesman said: “Outdoor areas for pubs and restaurants are included in phase two. The next review point is on June 18 – that review must take place first and will inform a decision on when phase two can commence.”
Travelling to Wales is still banned unless for essential travel.
The five-mile limit is expected to be in place for the next few weeks at least, with day trips to beaches and beauty spots outside of the limit not allowed.
First Minister Mark Drakeford said there were no plans to lift the measures before July, the beginning of the summer season.
He said during the Welsh government’s coronavirus briefing: “We have no immediate plans to lift the stay-local message in Wales.”
He added that while it will remain in place until July 10, he couldn’t be sure if it will be “another six or nine or 12 weeks,” until it changes.
There is no official date for when the tourism industry in Wales can restart.
While the Welsh Government “hopes to be able to say something positive” when lockdown restrictions are reviewed next month, this isn’t likely to be discussed until July 9.
Caravan parks are likely to open ahead of hotels and resorts.
Mr Drakeford said: “The best hope is that we will be able to allow people to come back to visit Wales in accommodation that is entirely self-contained, where in effect you could be self-isolated if you needed to be, if you were to fall ill [so] you would not be not posing an additional risk to others.”
In Northern Ireland, there are no restrictions on travel.
The Republic of Ireland is to lift the restrictions on travel, with journeys up to 12 miles allowed as part of phase two from June 20.
However, non-essential travel further than that is still not allowed.
While limited flights are in operation, such as with Ryanair, these are for essential journeys only.
Hotels and tourist accommodation in Northern Ireland will be allowed to reopen on July 20.
Pubs and restaurants have not been included in this yet.
Pubs, hotels and restaurants in the Republic of Ireland will have to wait until phase three and four are introduced to be able to reopen again.
There are hopes for phase three to begin from June 29, although this is yet to be confirmed.
Brits could be given cash to holiday in the UK, suggests Visit Britain Acting CEO Patricia Yates.
Similar schemes in Italy hope to boost domestic tourism.
