COVID-19 GUIDELINES & UPDATES for Wildlife, Adventure and Activity Operators in Scotland
COVID-19 UPDATES
If you have a questions relating to your outdoor activity and the answer is not listed below, please get in touch with Wild Scotland – victoria@wild-scotland.co.uk and we will do our best to find the answer for you.
The latest update from the Scottish Government relating to tightened restrictions – stay at home Lockdown (5th January 2021)
The latest announcement means that to minimise the risk of spreading the virus, you must stay at home as much as possible. By law, in a level 4 area, you can only leave your home or garden for essential purpose. Those in Shetlands, Orkney, the Western Isles and other island areas currently in level 3 will remain there, but will be kept under review. Find out what the levels mean for your business here.
Sport and physical activity guidance
Tourism and Hospitality Guidance
Guidance for Transport Operators.
Scottish Enterprise Advice and Support
People Support – Skills Development Scotland
Business Gateway – digital boost and other useful webinars
Wild Scotland Newsletter: sign up here to receive regular news and advice during COVID-19 – Adventure Operators Sign up here, DMOs, Industry and Sector groups sign up here
GUIDELINES for WILDLIFE, ADVENTURE & ACTIVITY OPERATORS
Wild Scotland has produced guidelines to support and signpost operators and businesses in the Wildlife, Adventure and Activity Tourism Sector in Scotland, to websites and other information pools to provide them with generic guidelines and advice relating to Covid-19 to ensure they operate safely and securely for the benefit of themselves, their staff, their visitors and the wider public. The guidance includes information relating to each activity and a link to the appropriate NGB for clear guidance.
The suggestions are not meant to be definitive or finite, they are there to aid everyone to make sensible decisions within their own operations.
COVID-19 Guidance for Wildlife, Adventure and Activity Operators in Scotland– updated 7th January 2021 I please note this guidance and associated links will be updated on a regular basis as guidelines change – Issue 12
COVID-19 Guidance for Wildlife Watching Day Tours
We would like to remind operators that the physical distancing rule of 2 metres applies for indoor and outdoor activities unless for transporting guests to / from activities where 1 metre is allowed. Another exemption to the 2 metre physical distancing rule is for day trip boat operators who may also operate with 1 metre. Day trip boat operators and activity providers using transport for guests please follow: Guidance for Transport Operators.
When guests are mixing under 2 metres whether indoors or outdoors, in a mini bus or on a boat – face masks must be warn at ALL TIMES.
All other activity specific guidance including further exemptions to the 2 metre rule can be found within the Wild Scotland Covid-19 Guidelines here.
Other GUIDELINES AND INFORMATION relating to Covid-19
- Free Protect Scotland App from NHS Scotland’s Test and Protect. This is now available to download at protect.scot and via the App Store and Google Play.
The free Protect Scotland App is the next step in stopping the spread of coronavirus and complements existing contact tracing measures, helping us to determine contacts that we may have otherwise missed, and allows us to alert people at risk far more quickly so they can steps to reduce the risk of infecting others. - We’re Good to Go Industry Standard: sign up here
- Wildlife Watching Day Tours – Wild Scotland Guidance
- Adventure Travel COVID-19 Health and Safety Guidelines
- Risk Assessment Templates (HSE)
- First Aid Advice for First Responders UK Government
- VisitScotland –coronavirus support and information
- Local Advice and measures– Advice and guidance relating to local outbreaks or clusters of coronavirus cases.
- Scottish Government- What you can and cannot do
- Tourism and Hospitality Guidelines
- Sail Scotland Guidance for Marine Tourism Sector
- Tourism Recovery recommendations
- Coronavirus support & information | VisitScotland.org COVID Advice Pages
- UK Segments during the Covid 19 pandemic (visitscotland.org) UK Market Segments during COVID
- COVID-19 Scenario Planning Toolkit for Tourism | VisitScotland.org Scenario Planning Toolkit
Previous updates and useful links relating to Covid-19
Please note that advice from the Scottish Government may differ from that of England and Wales.
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The full advice from Scottish Government relating to the Coronavirus can be found here: www.gov.scot/coronavirus-covid-19/
- Wild Scotland Member Newsletter Archive – click here for access
- Wild Scotland Newsletter: sign up here to receive regular news and advice during Covid-19 – Adventure Operators Sign up here, DMOs, Industry and Sector groups sign up here
- Loch Lomond National Park Covid-19 updates: Read More
- Cairngorms National Park Covid-19 updates: Read more
- Scottish Tourism Alliance: Sign up for daily updates
- Scottish Canoe Association: Covid-19 Resource Hub and latest guidelines
- Scottish Mountaineering updates (walk, climb,ski): Read more
- Coronovirus Helpline for Scottish businesses – Scottish Enterprise call handlers will be available to answer questions
Mon – Fri 8.30am-5.30pm
0300 303 0660 http://bit.ly/38NEANO - Keep up to date with VisitScotland including useful advice & up to date information: https://www.visitscotland.org/supporting-your-business/advice/coronavirus
- Scottish Government business advice update: https://findbusinesssupport.gov.scot/
- Wellbeing of you and your staff
- Mental health wellbeing is top priority. In these difficult times it can be hard to know which way to turn. Not only are you having to think about your own survival / putting food on the table but many will have elderly and vulnerable family and employees that they care about.
Don’t be alone, please seek advice. Talking about it really can help: - https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/your-mental-health
- https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/stress-anxiety-depression/mental-health-helplines/
- https://www.samh.org.uk/
- https://breathingspace.scot/
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