Holidays are what many people spend weeks and months looking forward to. However, this light at the end of the tunnel has been extinguished under new government restrictions due to coronavirus. The UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has advised against all but essential travel for an initial period of 30 days, it was announced last week.
Many Britons hoped that, despite this, staycations in the UK would still provide a chance to get away from it all.
However, the government’s new measures render this pretty much impossible.
Hotels, hostels, B&Bs and more have now been closed in the UK.
“To reduce social contact, the Government has ordered certain businesses and venues to close,” said gov.uk in its latest travel advice.
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“These include: hotels, hostels, bed and breakfasts, campsites, caravan parks, and boarding houses for commercial/leisure use, excluding permanent residents, key workers and those providing emergency accommodation, for example for the homeless.”
Those Britons lucky enough to have a second home are also told they should not travel to those properties.
They are warned that they would be endangering others if they did so.
“Following on from the government’s guidance on social distancing in relation to COVID-19, people should avoid travelling unless it is essential,” explained the government’s website.
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“This guidance is for people planning to visit second homes or holiday premises during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
“Essential travel does not include visits to second homes, campsites, caravan parks or similar, whether for isolation purposes or holidays. People should remain in their primary residence.
“Not taking these steps puts additional pressure on communities and services that are already at risk.”
Poplar holiday locations around the UK are urging Britons not to travel to their hotspots.
The Welsh tourist board Visit Wales tweeted the message: “Visit Wales. Later.
“Please do not visit Wales at this time and avoid all unnecessary travel within Wales. Following these guidelines will save lives.
“We look forward to welcoming you back in future; but for now, let’s all.”
Cornish tourist board Visit Cornwall similarly tweeted: “Would visitors please stay away and play your part in reducing travel and thereby reducing the speed of the spread of the virus and that is so important in avoiding needless lives being lost. We will love seeing you again later in the year.”
The Scottish government has slammed the “irresponsible behaviour” of people heading to the Highlands in campervans or to stay in second homes.
Rural Economy and Tourism Secretary Fergus Ewing said: “I am furious at the reckless and irresponsible behaviour of some people travelling to the Highland and Islands. This has to stop now.
”Let me be crystal clear, people should not be travelling to rural and island communities, full stop. They are endangering lives. Do not travel.”
