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Tourist chief Michael Golding of Visit Inverness Loch Ness has concerns over a return to the tiers system as travel restrictions imposed in other parts of Scotland accompanied by ongoing international travel restrictions would leave Highland tourism businesses with no viable market


By Ian Duncan

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Michael Golding of Visit Inverness Loch Ness.
Michael Golding of Visit Inverness Loch Ness.

A return to a system of different levels of lockdown in different parts of the country will lead to “continued strain” for the tourist industry.

That was the view of Michael Golding, chief executive of Visit Inverness Loch Ness, who said travel restrictions imposed in other parts of Scotland, accompanied by ongoing international travel restrictions, would leave Highland tourism businesses with no viable market.

“Timing is critical – to be able to operate during the peak season and to not be disadvantaged by higher restrictions than other areas, both regionally and nationally,” he said.

“If the restrictions from the UK government are at a lower level, allowing businesses there to open, then a significant number of potential visitors will make travel plans without the Highlands being an option.

“Businesses will need ongoing support until there is a viable market and this week’s announcement provides only a glimmer of additional hope.”

Tony Story, owner of the Kingsmills and Ness Bank hotels in Inverness, believed it was “eminently sensible” for regions including the Highlands to return to level three restrictions. However, he questioned the need to wait until the end of April for that, as well as the business implications of trying to operate under those strictures.

“If I am correct there’s no alcohol service allowed in that and, quite honestly, what are we supposed to do in terms of leisure? People are just not going to come.

“Nicola Sturgeon left the door open with ‘if the data continues to go the way that it is going and we continue to see infection rates going down this can be accelerated’, but I would still question, if we are in level three, is there any harm in giving someone a glass of wine with their dinner?”

Pinning his hopes on pent-up demand among people to get out and about again, he added: “I would like to think that in what is effectively two months’ time we could look to be in a slightly more normal place if the figures all go down because we know that hospitality is a far safer place to manage the risk of infection than in the home.

“As the vaccination programme increases, people’s confidence will increase.”


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