Holiday in Scotland to support tourism industry, FM urges

Nicola Sturgeon is urging Scots desperate for a summer holiday to book ‘staycations’ to bolster the country’s tourism sector.

The First Minister said taking a break in Scotland this year would help the industry at “a time when they have probably never needed that support more” due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Speaking at the Scottish Government’s daily press briefing on Friday, Sturgeon said: “If you are desperate to book a summer holiday – and if you are that would be entirely understandable – why not think about booking it in Scotland this year and giving some support to our own tourism sector at a time when they have probably never needed that support more.”

The First Minister’s suggestion follows the lifting of the five-mile travel limit and after she branded the UK Government’s decision-making process on air bridges “shambolic”.

Under phase two of the Scottish Government’s routemap out of lockdown, Scots are now free to travel around the country for recreation and leisure.

This will allow people to visit self-catering accommodation such as holiday cottages and caravans.

The five-mile travel limit, however, remains in place in Dumfries and Galloway, where there has been a cluster of Covid-19 cases.

Those planning on hitting the road have been told to “be careful” when visiting other parts of the country.

Sturgeon added: “As you travel avoid crowded places.

“If you go somewhere and it is already busy go somewhere else, and make sure you don’t leave litter behind.

“And please be sensitive to people living in our rural and island communities, because if you don’t take appropriate care you run the risk of taking the virus to these places.”