Tourism backs 14-day quarantine plan
TOURISM leaders in the South West say quarantining overseas visitors will be a “huge restriction” on trade but back the move if based on scientific advice.
From June 8, people entering the UK from abroad – both foreigners and returning Britons – will be told to isolate for 14 days or face a £1,000 fine, the Government has said.
Travel firms and the owners of some of Britain’s landmark hotels yesterday wrote to the home secretary, Priti Patel, saying the move would deter overseas visitors and UK citizens heading abroad and was “the very last thing” the hard-hit sector needed.
However, Rick Turner of the South West Tourism Alliance said he supported the safety measure. “I am not sure it is sensible or how it can be enforced, but it does not matter what I think. We need to listen to the science and if the advice is that we need to go along with it,” said Mr Turner. “It is a hugely difficult for the industry, but if that is the advice from Public Health England and the other advisers, we need to stick by it.”
While the bulk of trade in the region comes from domestic visitors, holidaymakers from overseas are higher spenders and a lucrative source of income.
Rhys Roberts, a Tiverton hotel owner who chairs Visit Devon, said: “It is a huge restriction because it will prevent people coming from overseas. But from the science point of view, if that is needed to support the local community we will follow the advice of our political masters.”
Mr Roberts said the industry was focused on July 4, the date suggested by the Government from which hotels, restaurants and other hospitality venues might be able to reopen. “We are lobbying hard for the 2 metre [social distancing] rule to be relaxed to 1 metre which is the case in a lot of other countries.”
But Exeter Labour MP Ben Bradshaw
said quarantine was not backed by the science. “Nadine Dorries [the health minister] told me quarantine was effective when we have a low level of infection. We have the highest level within Europe and one of the highest in the world.
“The tourism sector in the Westcountry is not as dependent on overseas visitors, but this will have a devastating effect on Exeter and Newquay airports. This will put off people from the South West from taking or booking overseas holidays.”