Staycations unlikely to be much help to Scottish tourism when lockdown ends

Stephen Jardine (Perspective, 2 May) suggests that “staycations” might be the way to support the tourism industry later this year.

I hope he’s right but I don’t see how that can be. The word staycation was not in common parlance when I was a child but in those days the concept of “holidaying at home” meant spending one’s holidays literally staying at home. No going off to beautiful parts of the country and staying in hotels for several day, at most you might have the odd day out in the country.

Modern staycationers can be divided into two types. The first travel to self-catering accommodation, maybe their own holiday property. Some of them even bring their own accommodation with them in the form of camper vans or mobile homes. Typically such visitors bring much, if not all, of their food and drink with them, with travellers to the likes of Arran and Mull taking advantage of the cheaper mainland prices in the large supermarkets conveniently placed near the ferry terminals as they load up their cars prior to embarking. The amount they put into the local economy can, therefore, be limited. The other type avail themselves of local accommodation, from five-star hotels to simple bed and breakfast. This category mainly relies upon tearooms, pubs and restaurants for sustenance, with those travelling on two wheels or two legs rather than in a vehicle, by definition physically limited in what they can bring from home, disproportionately contributing to the local economy.

It seems to me, though, that until social distancing be relaxed, staycations are likely to be limited to those selfsufficient in comestibles, as it is unlikely that the various eateries and hostelries will be able to open. One simply cannot eat or drink while the lower half of one’s face is covered. This means that tourists who are not self-sufficient food-wise would have to rely upon picnicking upon whatever one can buy at the local shops which, given the Scottish weather not to mention the midges, is likely to appeal only to the hardiest, such as retired commandos or members of the SAS.

I fear, therefore, that, with only those who spend least, likely to visit Scotland’s tourist areas, any effect upon the local tourism economy this year is likely to be little more than a temporary pick-me-up rather than a significant boost.

JANE ANN LISTON Largo Road, St Andrews