Commons Sense: Adam Afriyie 'a staycation may be the way forward'

Last week saw Windsor Castle reopen to visitors for the first time since before the outbreak. I was so pleased by this news considering how much of a significant draw the castle is to domestic and international tourists.

The tourism industry overall is a significant contributor to the Windsor economy. It has been estimated that around £443 million was spent by visitors to Windsor in 2018, with even more spent indirectly by businesses and employees on local suppliers and business. In fact, the total value of tourism activity in Windsor is thought to be worth over £0.5 billion, and accounts for 8,800 jobs.

This successful sector has been hit hard by the pandemic with international tourists, which account around a quarter of all visitors, drying up completely and domestic visitor number plummeting. So, this continued reopening of businesses and tourist attractions is fantastic news.

With all the uncertainty that foreign travel poses this year a staycation may indeed be the way forward. This could be a trip to Cornwall, Devon, or the countryside perhaps. Or maybe you could support Windsor businesses and jobs and enjoy many of the tourist attractions which Windsor has to offer. Alongside Windsor Castle Legoland has also reopened its doors. I was invited to see for myself the strict and effective measures which had been put in place by staff to ensure that visitors were safe.

In addition to this, other outdoor attractions such as the Great Park, the Nature Reserve, and Liquid Leisure (among others) have all reopened.

There is therefore plenty to choose from, so I would urge those of you who are still wary of flying abroad, or cannot afford to quarantine for 2 weeks, to enjoy what Windsor has to offer.