Coronavirus: Surge in post-lockdown bookings by 'staycationers'
- Published
Holiday accommodation owners have been deluged with bookings over the last 48 hours.
It comes after Nicola Sturgeon announced plans to begin relaxing lockdown rules and lift the five-mile travel limit from next Friday.
Booking website TravelNest said the lockdown had been a very tough period for holiday let owners.
But it said it had seen a huge surge in demand for properties since the government announcement.
The first minister said on Wednesday that the use of self-contained holiday accommodation such as cottages and lodges with no shared services will be allowed from 3 July.
From 15 July, all holiday accommodation will be able to reopen, as will museums, galleries, cinemas, and monuments.
Cameron Boal, marketing vice-president of Edinburgh-based TravelNest, said tourists began to make bookings the day before Ms Sturgeon's announcement following speculation the regulations would be lifted in July.
"In the last 48 hours we've had over 700 nights booked across our 2,500 properties. It's gone absolutely crazy," he added.
"That is more than a 100% increase on our best days from earlier in the year when people typically book their summer holiday.
"It's been a very tough period so it's fantastic that it's now opening up.
"Owners have been crying out for this and we are already seeing the market bouncing back with such velocity."
Annette Devenish has two gypsy caravans, a beehive pod a showman's hut and shepherd's hut at Westcote Glamping on her 80 acre sheep farm in the Scottish Borders
Annette Devenish, who owns Westcote Glamping on an 80 acre sheep farm between Hawick and Denholm in the Scottish Borders said the first three weekends of reopening had already been booked for her five caravans, pods and huts.
She said: "It is absolutely great. We have had lots of bookings and even a late night enquiry at 11pm after the government announcement.
"Last year we were fully booked so hopefully it will be the same for the rest of this summer too."
She said she had bought another toilet for the gypsy caravans because shared facilities are not allowed under the new regulations.
Gordon and Susie Murray with their children at their Craigmaddie Muir Roundhouse in Clyde Valley
Gordon Murray, who owns Craigmaddie Muir Roundhouse in Clyde Valley with his wife Susie, said the accommodation on their 450 acre sheep farm near Milngavie had been fully booked until October since it was built in time for 14 February this year.
He said: "It's a wooden bespoke romantic roundhouse with 180 degree views of the Clyde Valley. We were amazed by the uptake and were fully booked so it was very hard when the lockdown hit and we had to cancel bookings.
"In the last fortnight we have seen a real spike in bookings since the government announced the tourism sector was to open up on 15 July.
"We are more or less full in August and September now and only have two free weekends left between now and November.
"It has been very stressful so I'm very relieved now that the uptake has been so positive."
Richard Close with his family at one of their lodges
Richard Close, who owns Langbank Luxury Lodges in Renfrewshire with his wife, said he has seen an increase in followers on Facebook since an announcement about tourism two weeks ago.
"Normally it would be great if we had five bookings in a week but yesterday we had five in a day plus lots of inquiries. It's been unprecedented," he added.
"We now have our lodges booked by 75% between July and October.
"I felt very anxious during the lockdown especially as we didn't know when we would be allowed to reopen. We had wifi contracts and to keep the place maintained but no income, it has been very hard.
"There was a lack of support for new business so we were just left. March to May was dark times but it's a relief now the staycation market is looking good."