| Covid-19 Update 27 November 2020 |
Travel the ‘Wight Way’ – a message from Visit Isle of Wight and Isle of Wight Council Visit Isle of Wight is working with the Isle of Wight Council to ensure that visitors to the Island can enjoy everything on offer while maintaining its Tier 1 status. Announced yesterday by the UK Government, the Isle of Wight, along with Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly are currently the only places in England to be placed on a medium alert status. Tourism is one of the main economic drivers of the popular south coast destination, and visitors have long been welcomed to enjoy its warm hospitality, attractions, events, the countryside and beaches. Recognising the importance of tourism while balancing the health and needs of the local population, Visit Isle of Wight and the local council are requesting that visitors should travel ‘the Wight way’, which includes: • Wearing a face covering when required • Maintaining social distancing • Washing your hands regularly • Travelling only from Tiers 1 and 2 regions to the Island • Adhering to all Government and local advice and restrictions Will Myles, Managing Director of Visit Isle of Wight said: ‘Our Isle of Wight community has worked hard to keep the infection rates low and we are reminding our visitors to respect that effort by following the guidelines and following the measures that have been put in place by the Government, the local authority and the businesses here. ‘Our message to visitors is that when choosing somewhere to stay, we thank you for choosing the Isle of Wight. Please respect what the local community has achieved in keeping infection rates low and help us to ensure that the Island will always be the place for people to enjoy. ‘We hope that when planning your next staycation, you will choose the Wight way to travel.’ Isle of Wight Council leader, Dave Stewart, said: ‘Being placed in Tier 1 will come as a huge relief to many businesses across the Island, who will now be able to reopen in time for the festive holiday season. ‘This is also good news for the hospitality industry here on the Island, but we must remember that our priority must continue to be following the public health guidelines and ensuring we do not see a future spike in case numbers. ‘Likewise, visitors to the Island must appreciate why we have a relatively lower rate of infection here than the rest of the country and help us to keep it that way. ‘If you are coming to the Island at this time, we ask that you continue to be considerate and help us to protect everyone wanting to enjoy the Isle of Wight. That means wearing a face covering, maintaining social distancing and washing your hands regularly while you are here. ‘Please do not travel from Tier 3 to the Island. Visitors from Tier 2 must also adhere to the tougher Tier 2 rules during their stay. ‘Our special visitor charter sets out what we expect of our visitors – that you enjoy all that the Island has to offer but in the WIGHT way that respects our community and helps #KeepTheIslandSafe. ‘ |