STURGEON BORDER BACKLASH
Tourism chiefs warn of threat to industry as holidaymakers say they’ll cancel trips to Scotland over threat of quarantine
ENGLISH tourists have threatened to cancel plans to visit Scotland after Nicola Sturgeon warned they may need to go into quarantine.
The First Minister faced a backlash yesterday after again insisting she would be prepared to introduce the measure to ‘protect the Scottish population’.
Tourism bosses warned of a big impact on an industry hit hard by the coronavirus crisis.
They revealed some firms have been contacted by people south of the Border concerned at the threat of 14 days’ quarantine and wanting a full refund if it comes into effect.
More than two-thirds of tourists in Scotland come from the UK market. Opposition politicians accused Miss Sturgeon of a ‘deplorable’ attempt to turn the public health crisis into a constitutional battle.
It comes as a UK-wide analysis shows some of the top Covid-19 hotspots are in Scotland, while some parts of England have much lower numbers of cases.
Hotels, bed and breakfasts and other accommodation providers are currently taking bookings ahead of Scotland’s tourism sector finally
reopening from July 15 following a 100-day lockdown. Marc Crothall, chief executive of the Scottish Tourism Alliance (STA), said it has ‘never been more important’ for the governments of the UK to work together to suppress the virus.
He said: ‘Our industry is busy getting geared up for safe reopening, with most businesses I have spoken to going above and beyond what is required to provide visitors and customers with an experience they can feel confident and safe about.’
But he added: ‘Clearly, given that over 70 per cent of Scottish tourism comes from the UK market, any restrictions on domestic travel will have a significantly negative impact on the sector.
‘In fact, I know of a few businesses who have received inquiries from people south of the Border who have become concerned about a potential quarantine and have asked for reassurance of a full refund should a quarantine come into force.’
Miss Sturgeon first talked of considering
‘Clearly jeopardises that vital market’
introducing quarantine for those crossing the Border into Scotland on Monday.
Yesterday, she stressed there are no plans for the measure ‘right now’ but said she cannot rule out restrictions if they are necessary to keep the virus under control.
Scottish Conservative leader Jackson Carlaw warned the practical implications of ‘quarantining everyone who crosses the Border into Scotland are staggering’.
He said: ‘Any suggestion that Scotland will be closing its borders to England clearly jeopardises that vital market at a time when it is desperately needed.’
Figures show the virus has spread more rapidly among the population of some Scottish regions than those in England.
The highest number of cases per million of population in Scotland is in Tayside, at 4,251, followed by Lanarkshire, at 4,132, and Greater Glasgow and Clyde, at 4,130.
But swathes of the south-west of England have among the lowest numbers of cases in the UK, including Dorset, with only 990 cases per million people, and Devon, with 1,044 cases per million.
Labour MP for Edinburgh South Ian Murray said: ‘The SNP Government is trying to paint a picture Scotland has handled the coronavirus crisis better than England, when the reality is there have been catastrophic failings here and there are many regions in England which have performed better. There isn’t a uniform pattern across the nations and regions. The Scottish Government’s focus should be on dealing with any hotspots in Scotland. Any attempt by the SNP to turn this public health crisis into a constitutional issue is deplorable.’
Microbiologist Professor Hugh Pennington also warned it would be ‘impossible’ to police and impose cross-Border quarantine between England and Scotland.
He added: ‘What would you have – guards at Gretna?’
Yesterday, Miss Sturgeon said: ‘I know the concerns the Scottish Tourism Alliance would have about a policy like that, I understand that, and we would consider anything like that very carefully. But I know the STA would also be concerned… about the prospects of having an increase in cases of the virus in some of our tourist spots.
‘This is a balance we have to try to strike. It is not ideal and none of us want to be in this position but continuing to keep the virus under control has to be the driving imperative here.’
Asked if she would reassure people from England they are welcome to holiday in Scotland, she said: ‘People in England are welcome in Scotland, as has always been the case and always will be the case.
‘But I cannot guarantee – just as the UK Government cannot guarantee that people in Leicester will not be restricted from travelling to other parts of England – I cannot guarantee we will have no need to impose any kind of restrictions to keep this virus under control.’
She added: ‘I will never take any decisions associated with this virus lightly but I will take the decisions that are necessary to protect the Scottish population.’
Comment – Page 16
‘Catastrophic failings here’