With the Cornwall Tourism Awards just around the corner, Toby Pool, partner and head of our Leisure and Tourism sector, reports on the industry’s feeling of optimism for the future.
With all the challenges faced by Cornwall’s tourism sector recently, we were delighted to support the Cornwall Tourism Awards. We’re sponsoring the Holiday Park of the Year Award and the Camping and Caravanning of the Year Award, with the winners due to be revealed online on 25 February.
It was great to be able to catch up with them virtually at the beginning of February and I was heartened by the sense of optimism from the finalists.
Most of the hospitality businesses I spoke to are reporting a rise in bookings and some only have a few available for the summer season. Many are re-arranged holidays that had to be put on hold due to lockdown restrictions, but others are also due to continued staycation demand. Again, due to everything Covid-19 brought with it, many people will opt to holiday closer to home until things settle; which is fantastic news for local businesses and our local economy.
During a breakout room at the Cornwall Tourism Awards finalists’ event, businesses spoke about innovation and the ways they have adapted during this time and improving the facilities and offering to their customers. All holiday parks have adapted their sites and put safety measures in place to protect both visitors and staff in a Covid-secure way.
So, as the vaccine roll out continues apace, we look forward with great optimism and hope for an excellent summer season and beyond, just so long as the restrictions are gradually lifted to enable the sector to re-open legally. Wishing the very best of luck to all the awards entrants, you are all heroes!
Our multi-disciplinary team supports many different businesses in the industry from holiday parks, hotels, restaurants and visitor attractions. For more information about how we can support your business, please get in touch.