Tourism in Wales to open up for Easter – but not for the English

‘If it won’t be safe to stay overnight in England, then obviously it would not be possible for people to travel into Wales’ – Mark Drakeford

Welsh people will be able to take holidays within Wales at Easter, the first minister has confirmed.

Mark Drakeford, the Labour leader in Wales, has announced self-contained accommodation in Wales will be open for single-household occupation from 27 March.

“That means if you have a caravan or you can hire a cottage, then you’ll be able to do that,” he told BBC Today.

“That will be the first stage of reopening the tourist industry. Provided that goes well and successfully, then we will go on and reopen other parts of the industry.

“All of that is contingent on numbers continuing to head in the right direction.

“Cautiously, carefully and step-by-step, we’re now on the journey of reopening Welsh society.”

But restrictions imposed by Boris Johnson’s government preclude cross-border tourism and will prevent English travellers from taking advantage of the reopening, Mr Drakeford said. 

“The prime minister’s roadmap says that, for the weeks after 29 March, people should minimise travel,” Mr Drakeford said.

“There are to be no holidays. And people won’t be able to stay away from home overnight.

“If it won’t be safe to stay overnight in England, then obviously it would not be possible for people to travel into Wales.”

Boris Johnson’s government will lift its stay-at-home order for England on 29 March. But the roadmap says: “People should continue to minimise travel wherever possible, and should not be staying away from home overnight at this stage.”

The Independent has been unable to get further clarification from the Department for Transport (DfT) about the guidance.

Overnight stays in self-contained accommodation will be permissible in England from 12 April.