Editing Tourism in England (section)

== Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic ==

The travel restrictions and lockdowns necessitated by the [[COVID-19 pandemic]] in 2020 led to a 76% reduction in "inbound tourism" to the UK that year.(Most reports that provide statistics on tourism cover the entire UK as an entity, although some do provide specifics for England.) The forecast for 2021 indicated an estimate that visits would be up "21% on 2020 but only 29% of the 2019 level". Some increase was expected but slowly at first and the report concluded that tourism was not expected to come "even close to normal levels".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.visitbritain.org/2021-tourism-forecast|title=2021 tourism forecast |access-date=8 April 2021|quote=From mid-March to mid-July, COVID-19 triggered a near-total shutdown in international tourism ... there was an increase in visitor numbers from this low point, although they remained very low, and dipped again towards the end of the year.}}</ref>

The same VisitBritain report also discussed the effects of the pandemic on domestic within the UK in 2020, citing a significant reduction in spending, for an estimated  decline of 62% over the previous year. As of January 2021, the forecast for 2021 suggested that spending would increase by 79% over the previous year and that "the value of spending will be back to 84% of 2019 levels" by the end of 2021.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.visitbritain.org/2021-tourism-forecast|title=2021 tourism forecast |access-date=8 April 2021|quote=forecast assumes a slow recovery in early 2021 before a step change in the spring ... followed by a gradual recovery throughout the rest of the year and beyond.}}</ref>

A report published in March 2021 by the [[Fraser of Allander Institute]] indicated that "tourism and hospitality suffered notable losses from the pandemic" and provided detailed specifics for both domestic and international visits.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://fraserofallander.org/covid-19-impact-on-the-tourism-and-hospitality-sector-an-insight-from-the-latest-economic-commentary/|title=Covid-19 impact on the Tourism and Hospitality Sector, an insight from the latest Economic Commentary |access-date=8 April 2021|quote= ... health and economic crisis ... In particular, tourism and hospitality suffered notable losses from the pandemic.}}</ref> The government announced a £56m "welcome back fund" that month to help councils and businesses in coastal towns prepare to welcome tourists back safely in summer, "as soon as the [[COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom#February 2021: Variants of concern and vaccination efficacy|roadmap]] allows".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2021/mar/20/english-tourism-hotspots-to-get-56m-boost-to-prepare-for-great-summer-covid|title=English tourism hotspots to get £56m boost to 'prepare for great summer'|accessdate=20 March 2021}}</ref>

On 5 April 2021, the BBC reported that the restrictions on domestic travel were expected to be loosened during that month, at least for travel within England, Scotland and Wales. (No announcement had been made as of early April by Northern Ireland.) The news item predicted that "hotels and B&Bs [were] set to open for holidaymakers in England on 17 May at the earliest".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/explainers-52646738 |title=Covid: When can I go on holiday abroad or in the UK?|access-date=8 April 2021|quote= }}</ref> An article in [[The Guardian]] stated that "all shops in England will be allowed to reopen from next [[Monday]] [12 April], while pubs and restaurants will be allowed to serve customers outdoors.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2021/apr/05/travel-industry-frustrated-by-lack-of-clarity-on-road-map-to-reopening#:~:text=Travel%20industry%20frustrated%20by%20lack%20of%20clarity%20on%20road%20map%20to%20reopening,-Disappointment%20as%20PM&text=Travel%20companies%20have%20expressed%20frustration,for%20international%20travel%20to%20resume.&text=The%20government%20will%20bring%20in,to%20some%20lower%2Drisk%20countries. |title=Travel industry frustrated by lack of clarity on road map to reopening|access-date=8 April 2021|quote= }}</ref> The VisitBritain website provided more specifics on 5 April as to "COVID-19 restrictions" that were expected to be loosened on 12 April but indicated that there was no confirmation as to whether the rules on international travel, either inbound or outbound, would actually be loosened in mid-[[May]].<ref name="visitbritain.org">{{cite web|url=https://www.visitbritain.org/covid-19-new-coronavirus-latest-information-and-advice-businesses-1 |title=COVID-19 (new coronavirus) - latest information and advice for businesses |access-date=8 April 2021|quote=whether non-essential international travel can resume on 17 May, or whether we will need to wait longer before lifting the outbound travel restriction.}}</ref>

On 6 April 2021, [[CNN]] published an update as to the tourism situation in the UK for visits from other nations. Any visitors from "red list" countries were still not allowed to enter unless they were UK residents. "There's still not much to do in the UK right now ... although this lockdown is now being eased some restrictions will likely be in place until the summer", the report predicted, with [[June]] being the most likely time for tourism from other countries to begin a rebound.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/uk-travel-covid-19/index.html |title=Travel to the UK during Covid-19: What you need to know before you go |access-date=8 April 2021|quote=It is too early to say which countries will be on the green list when non-essential international travel resumes}}</ref>

On 5 April 2021, the VisitBritain website discussed a plan to relax some restrictions on visits to the UK from other nations by mid-May.<ref name="visitbritain.org"/> The feasibility of the plan became less certain as of 8 [[April]] 2021 when sources in the European Union stated on that a "third wave of the pandemic [was sweeping] the continent"; the [[Lineage B.1.1.7|B117 variant]] was of particular concern.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dw.com/en/european-travel-restrictions-nonessential-travel-curbed/a-56350272 |title=European travel restrictions: Nonessential travel curbed |access-date=8 April 2021|quote=Amid the coronavirus pandemic, many countries worldwide continue to restrict entry and most travel remains discouraged.}}</ref> Two days earlier, PM [[Boris Johnson]] had made it clear that "We don't want to see the virus being reimported into this country from abroad".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-04-06/boris-johnson-uk-travel-reopening-coronavirus-covid-19/100050006 |title=Boris Johnson refuses to set hard date for Britain to reopen for international travel |access-date=8 April 2021|quote=Amid the coronavirus pandemic, many countries worldwide continue to restrict entry and most travel remains discouraged.}}</ref>

Some restrictions on hospitality and domestic tourism were loosened in England on 12 April 2021; pubs and restaurants were allowed to open their outdoor facilities; non-essential stores opened; families were allowed to travel within England "in self-contained accommodation" and travel between Wales and England was fully permitted.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-56710858 |title=Covid lockdown eases: Celebrations as pub gardens and shops reopen |access-date=13 April 2021|quote=}}</ref>