Wales tourism sector to reopen from Saturday in next stage of lockdown easing

25 March 2021, 23:02

The next stage in the easing of the lockdown in Wales will take place on Saturday, when the tourism sector will start reopen.

Wales’ tourism sector will be able to start re-opening from Saturday as the stay-local rule is lifted, First Minister Mark Drakeford has announced.

The rules changing from Saturday include:

- Organised outdoor activities and sports for children and under-18s to take place and up to six people from two different households to meet and exercise outdoors.

- Self-contained holiday accommodation, including hotels with en-suite facilities and room service, will be able to reopen to people from the same household or support bubble.

- Six people from two different households, excluding children under 11, will be able to meet and exercise outdoors and in private gardens;

- Organised outdoor activities and sports for children and under 18s will be able to resume;

- Limited opening of outdoor areas of some historic places and gardens;

- Libraries and archives will be able to re-open.

The Covid alert level in Wales is also moving out of alert level four and into level three, with Welsh Ministers considering further alert level three measures in the next review of the regulations next week.

Within this review next week, Ministers will consider further relaxations, which could include all pupils and students returning to schools, shops and close contact services re-opening and the interim all-Wales travel area could be lifted.

The current restrictions on international travel for holidays will remain in place.

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First Minister Mark Drakeford said: “These further relaxations are part of our careful and phased approach to unlocking the restrictions and enabling people and businesses to resume their activities in the safest possible way.

“We’re only able to do this because of the sacrifices everyone across Wales has made over the last few months – everything you are doing to keep your loved ones safe is also keeping Wales safe.

“The public health position remains stable; our incredible vaccination programme goes from strength to strength – we have headroom to make these changes.”

He continued: “We are taking a step-by step approach to relaxing restrictions and want to carry on being able to open up Wales.

“To do that we need everyone’s help. That means staying vigilant for signs of infection; isolating if we have symptoms and arranging to get tested.

“It also means following the basic steps to keep us all safe while we’re out and about – keeping our distance from others; not mixing indoors; avoiding crowds; washing our hands regularly and wearing face coverings.”