The tourism sector in Wales can begin to reopen from Saturday as the country’s stay-local rule is lifted, but only for Welsh residents.
Organised outdoor activities and sports for children and under-18s will also be able to take place and up to six people from two different households can meet and exercise outdoors and in private gardens.
There will be a limited opening of outdoor areas of some historic places, and gardens and libraries and archives will be able to reopen.
The first minister, Mark Drakeford, said: “These further relaxations are part of our careful and phased approach to unlocking the restrictions and enabling people and businesses to resume their activities in the safest possible way.
“We’re only able to do this because of the sacrifices everyone across Wales has made over the last few months – everything you are doing to keep your loved ones safe is also keeping Wales safe.
“The public health position remains stable, our incredible vaccination programme goes from strength to strength – we have headroom to make these changes.”
Self-contained holiday accommodation, including hotels with en suite facilities and room service, will be able to reopen to people from the same household or support bubble.
The stay local rule will be replaced by an “interim all-Wales travel area”, which will remain in place until 12 April, subject to the public health situation. For the next two weeks, only those with a reasonable excuse, such as work, will be able to travel into or out of Wales. It means that Wales will remain closed to visitors from other parts of the UK and abroad.
These are the final stages of the relaxations in this three-week review cycle. They follow the return of primary pupils and many older secondary school and college students to face-to-face learning, and the start of the phased reopening of non-essential retail, including the opening of hairdressers and barbers.
Drakeford added: “We are taking a step by step approach to relaxing restrictions and want to carry on being able to open up Wales. To do that we need everyone’s help. That means staying vigilant for signs of infection; isolating if we have symptoms and arranging to get tested.”
