Plea for tourism businesses to get coronavirus support

Urgent support for tourism businesses affected by the Covid-19 pandemic has been called for by Jackie Baillie.

The Dumbarton constituency MSP says numerous business owners have contacted her, many running tourism businesses around Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park.

She said that tourism is the number one industry in that area, with an annual value of over £430m, and supports many thousands of jobs directly or indirectly.

Business say the threat of coronavirus is already having a severe impact, with the scale of daily cancellations growing significantly in the past week, and the indications are that this is likely to get worse over the coming weeks and months.

The main concern expressed by many was the ability to pay existing staff wages linked to surviving what is going to be a very difficult trading period.

Ms Baillie said: “Businesses in the national park are really feeling the effects of the coronavirus pandemic due to significantly reduced tourist numbers in the area.

“Not only is there a fear as to the future success and viability of these businesses, but there is an immediate concern about how businesses with a reduced revenue will be able to continue to pay staff wages, rent and other costs that come with running a business.

“The Scottish Government’s initial package is welcome but it is clear from comments made to me by the tourism industry that this is not enough to support employers and employees to properly prepare themselves for the weeks and months to come.”

The Scottish Government has so far announced these measures for businesses:

• 75% rates relief for retail, hospitality and leisure sectors with a rateable value of less than £69,000 from 1 April 2020
• An £80m fund to provide grants of at least £3,000 to small businesses in sectors facing the worst economic impact of COVID-19
• 1.6% rates relief for all properties across Scotland, effectively reversing the planned below inflation uplift in the poundage from April 1
• A fixed rates relief of up to £5,000 for all pubs with a rateable value of less than £100,000 from April 1