Staycation bookings increase during lockdown - even before today's roadmap by the PM
Ahead of Boris Johnson's roadmap out of lockdown later, there's a warning that demand for West Country staycations is already bigger than supply.
Last updated 22nd Feb 2021
Some places are already fully booked for this Summer - even though we still don't know when we'll be able to travel again.
The South West Tourism Alliance is urging people to book ahead, after 15 per cent of the region's tourist businesses closed over the past 12 months and many sites expect to continue running at reduced capacity.
Alistair Handyside, from the Alliance, said: "Demand is going to outstrip supply.
"We have across the sector lots of businesses that will not be reopening because they have already failed or they are unable to open in a Covid secure manner.
"You've got hotels operating at half capacity. There is less capacity, we're going to have a situation where there's huge demand for UK holidays partly fed by the fact they can't have foreign holidays with less capacity - so my argument remans book now.
"Once the demand hits, all the demand really causes is rising prices."
Mr Handyside is today also calling for more certainty for the industry - which he says is on a 'cliff edge' as the business rates holiday ends on March 31 at the same time when 166,000 South West tourism-related staff are due to end their furlough - and VAT on hospitality will rise from 5 to 20 per cent.
"If you haven't booked don't come down because there won't be last minute places. last minute deals will not be cheap deals,” he warned.
"Last minute deals will be expensive deals, so once again I urge you to book now. Make sure you've got somewhere to stay.
"Book those restaurants they're running at half capacity. Book those cafes they're running at half capacity.
"This is where we're going to have the biggest challenge of the Summer, managing the number of people that wish to come down."
He is also urging businesses to take deposits to avoid a repeat of last Summer's 'no shows' when people failed to attend bookings, adding: "Those businesses should take deposits and make sure that those guests are going to turn up.
"One of the things that happened when we opened up last Summer was people booked multiple restaurants and then chose which restaurant they would go to.
"The kind of behaviour is appalling. It does nothing to support an industry that's been on its knees for a year.
"I would urge hospitality owners to charge deposits to make sure that those guests do show up."