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With hotel owners desperate for a quick return, some are revealing bookings are significantly down due to the low uptake from English tourists. Due to the SNP’s bitter pursuit to break up the UK, one business owner claimed they have been caught up in the “political climate”. Amid the clash between Holyrood and Westminster over Ms Sturgeon’s pursuit of a referendum, one Bread and Breakfast owner claimed the English don’t feel welcome anymore.
Tourists are, therefore, pursuing domestic holidays in England which has sparked concern north of the border.
Speaking to The Inverness Courier, David Shayer founder of The Scottish Guest House and Bed and Breakfast Alliance said: “We are feeling caught up in a political climate which is affecting business.
“The sentiment is real that English don’t feel welcome and are staying away and spending their money south of the border.”
With England opening up faster than Scotland, Mr Shayer revealed desperate holidaymakers have decided to shift their focus to staycations.
Without crucial English tourists, he claimed hotels are now being forced to slash prices for rooms to entice visitors.
He added: “In a staycation market, we need English visitors, of which there are 65 million.
“The English market had a date earlier than Scotland (for reopening), and while the demand was there, people booked for England.
“We are seeing hotels slashing their prices to fill rooms.
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Peter Ross, who is also a member of the association said: “It is critical that the government understands how our sector is lagging behind other accommodation businesses and the hospitality sector and takes action.”
The devolved nations were scheduled to hold a virtual summit to discuss a unified response to the pandemic on Friday.
Due to concerns from the Scottish and Welsh governments, the meeting was cancelled.
The Prime Minister wrote to the devolved nations shortly after the local election in order to discuss Covid.
However, the Prime Minister’s spokesman said he was disappointed over the cancelled summit.
He said: “It is disappointing that the Scottish Government feel the need to delay this meeting so they have more time to prepare.
“The PM is keen to speak to the First Ministers about our recovery, we want to do that as soon as possible but we don’t have a date set.
“We want to work with them to find a new date to schedule this.”
Speaking today, the Scottish Tories’ chief whip Stephen Kerr said: “Perhaps endorsing messages such as ‘We’re shut, **** off’ (Ian Blackford) and urging English people to stay away (Sturgeon) wasn’t the best long-term answer for Scottish hospitality.”
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