“For Scotland’s self-caterers, the immediate post-lockdown situation is very much a mixed bag; with rural and coastal operators enjoying high rates of bookings causing some limited availability while city centre properties continue to see lower than ideal numbers of guests.
“However, the rise in rural and coastal bookings may also be a result of conscientious proprietors honouring bookings made in 2020.
“Tourist accommodation has been, sadly, decimated by the pandemic and we continue to struggle against the impact of local restrictions, often imposed without warning, and a severely disappointing lack of clarity and guidance especially for larger operators who serve guests from multiple households.
“These larger properties have lost an average of £73,000 in turnover during the pandemic and have only had ten weeks’ worth of trading to claw back their significant losses.
“The ASSC has called, and will continue to call, for better, tailored advice from the Scottish Government as well as increased support well into level zero otherwise these valuable parts of Scotland’s unique tourism offering face the real risk of permanent closure.
“However, Scotland’s self-caterers can guarantee that our guests can enjoy a safe, relaxing, and well-deserved break with us and can do so knowing that we have the correct, government-backed, cleaning and hygiene protocols in place to back up our commitment.
“As we emerge from this harrowing time, many people across Scotland, and from elsewhere in the UK, will turn their attention to getting away for a while and Scotland’s self-catering sector stands ready, willing, and able to make it happen for them.”
Fiona Campbell
Chief Executive
Association of Scotland’s Self-Caterers