If you live in a tourist area, when do you think the tourists should return?

[Purplequalitystreet]

I completely understand that people who live in the Lakes, Devon etc don't want tourists right now (and that's fine. I'm not planning on visiting any time soon). I was just wondering when you personally think it will be acceptable for tourists to return for day trips/longer stays? When deaths fall below x amount? When cafes etc are allowed to reopen?

[Daffodil101]

Well said.

[SamSeabornforPresident]

There's not so much point in visiting cities as all the things that people do in cities (shops, museums, bars and restaurants) are all closed. So people will flock to outdoors areas. Personally I'd love to go for a walk on a beach or in the woods and take the DC on a picnic, but I'm in Scotland so Nicola won't let me.

[beentothecoastalready]

I pat u on the back @Daffodil101. well said indeed.

[beentothecoastalready]

sorry I mean @Doilooklikeatourist. been on the vino

[justasking111]

Later will be too late soon. So many zero hour contracts here so no furlough pay

[Jeffersona]

@Purplequalitystreet

Autumn is at least covered with the furlough until October.

A lot of these places do very minimal business in winter at the best of times. It's not where they make the money. They will however need to be back running in the spring/summer next year.

[sageandroses]

I live near the coast where the RNLI helicopter is frequently out, ambulances etc are much more active during peak tourist times - school holidays, bank holidays etc. It's mostly holidaymakers tripping over on the rocky areas next to the beach - there are a lot of gullies so they often break ankles and legs.

The nearest hospital is 40 miles away, and they all get taken there. So an increase in day trippers really does make a difference to such places.

[Purplequalitystreet]

@Jeffersona furlough is only good if there's a business to go back to, sadly.

[CeeJay81]

I live in a fairly touristy area in Wales, it's like a gateway to other tourist areas, so people tend to stop here too. I have to admit I'm really scared about tourists coming because we have had no deaths in the immediate area and only very small numbers in the surrounding areas. I fear the rate of infection will increase a lot once the caravan parks etc open. However we rely on tourism, so we can't live in this little bubble for too long. So I'm not sure when but not just yet, maybe July/Aug but I'm pretty sure I'll get it once they are here.

[Doilooklikeatourist]

So have I @beentothecoastalready ( I’m dying to get to the coast )
❤️Amroth

[CeeJay81]

Also, we have one small hospital serving a massive area. So that is very much a concern here.

[Clymene]

When there are facilities. So when public toilets are open (so they don't piss in the ornamental gardens) and the restaurants and pubs (so the locals can benefit).

Right now there are zero upsides and a lot of downsides.

[Thisdressneedspockets]

I think I could have a booming new business idea, charging people to use my loo.

[Tootletum]

Glad all these tourist areas appear to be so happy to destroy their local economies. @localmummy I don't really follow that logic. If it's how we have to live with Corona long term, what are people going to live on? It's silly to create a choice between having a job and staying healthy - you need one to have the other.

[transformandriseup]

I think our county needs to give it a few more weeks to see how the the infection rate is looking after a few weeks of the lockdown being eased. Already golf clubs and fishing lakes are back open and the recycling centre and more beaches are shops are opening so it's getting busier all the time. After then it will be easier to see how things might look once day trippers start arriving on mass.

[110APiccadilly]

I live in Wales, and grew up in the most touristy bit possible. If people can't come in the summer, it'll be economic devastation for North/West Wales, leading to soaring poverty rates and illness and death caused by that.

[noraclavicle]

I live in London and have been going into St James’s/West End to get away from the crowds in my local area, which has a smallish park that gets very busy. Weird to say the least! Felt very post-apocalyptic to begin with and barely a soul to be seen, but gradually got busier. I’ve been wondering whether and when we’ll see the usual levels of tourists round there - probably not for many months.

[Pipandmum]

I live in a holiday destination and know a hotel owner who is expecting to be open in July if all things go with government plan. She is working out how to do meals etc (it may have to be a box in guests rooms!). She said the restaurants and cafes will also need to be open otherwise where would people eat (she is breakfast and bar food only). Here our economy relies on tourist industry so I think many will be keen to have them back then.
As for day trippers now it's difficult as they have to take a ferry which has restricted who can travel, I imagine they will loosen that in July too.
As for the fear of people from big cities bringing the virus with them - London has had about 27,000 confirmed cases out of a population of over 8m so I'm not worried. Keep to the social distancing rules and I'd welcome anyone.

[GetUpAgain]

I feel very sorry for people who need toilets more frequently, seems like some people will be able to travel out and about to beautiful places but not IBS etc sufferers.

[lovelyupnorth]

I live in the lakes and I’m torn but at least car parks etc are opening up.

But it scares me if everything is shut over the summer then most of the businesses won’t survive. Even with Furlough till October as most have little or no revenue between October and February/ March. And this last winter was awful February half term was a wash out and lots of businesses needed a good Easter.

Which all currently means that most and even some of the cash rich are running on empty and the won’t survive.

If Furlough goes to October for example in our business we will just about get there but we will have to let all the staff go to give us a fighting chance of surviving the winter.

And that’s not even thinking about any business invoiced this year that we might have to carry forward so may have little or no income next year as well.

Furlough doesn’t cover our fixed costs rent, rates, vehicles etc. And we currently aren’t entitled to any grants etc as though totally reliant on tourism we don’t cone under the government definition so no grant, no rates support etc.

So it’s a double edged sword. Tourism is the largest employer and at risk of total collapse but we also have a high Covid rate and lots of older residents.

[Pantsupyourbum]

@SamSeabornforPresident that’s where your wrong, we are in a major tourist town 2 hours from the coast and we already have loads of visitors coming for a mooch around, god knows where the are going to the toilet but plenty of picnics by the river at the weekend, we are a very low infection area so it does concern me it will go up, our nearest hospital is 30/40 mins away.

[herecomesgeralt]

The thing is - it is all well and good if social distancing practices are applied.

But they are not. I live in a small village extremely popular with tourists, and the tourists are not making any socially distancing efforts. They are parking along the double yellow lines, on the pavement, making the paths even narrower. People can't keep apart from each other unless they go on the road, which is dangerous due to the increasing traffic.

We have had an influx of bikers on motorbikes this morning. This is a semi regular thing under ordinary circumstances. I walked to the shop this morning, and there were 32 motorbikes parked on a section of wide pavement - all the bikers spilling onto the road, no social distancing. THIRTY TWO.

Utterly ridiculous, and not in line with the advice! It's all fine for people who aren't from such areas to talk about how they will socially distance and respect the area, but the evidence today is suggesting that most people coming into the village today simply do not care.

[BarbeDeMaman]

I'm in Ireland so we know they are welcome from July 20th (at which date there is no longer a distance limit on travel). I'm sure most of us in this area Would like them from the end of June but will be just as pleased and relieved to see the on July 20th.