Publication - Advice and guidance
Coronavirus (COVID-19): tourism and hospitality sector
Guidance for the tourism and hospitality sector, including procedures for staff and customer safety.
Overview
From 24 January 2022, restrictions on Scotland’s hospitality and tourism sector are being replaced by baseline measures. These apply across the country. Please refer to the central guidance, and familiarise yourself with the detail. You will need to consider the guidance in relation to your business and, where necessary, make plans for how to implement them.
In summary the baseline measures include:
- legal requirement to wear face coverings in indoor settings subject to exemptions
- legal requirement for businesses to continue to collect contact details from customers
The purpose of this guidance is to clarify sector specific questions. For more information please see the frequently asked questions section.
This page will be updated in due course with relevant material that relates specifically to the tourism and hospitality sector as may be necessary.
Safer workplaces guidance
Employers have a duty to manage workplace risks under existing health and safety legislation, in addition to the specific requirements set out in the Coronavirus regulations.
Although most legal COVID-19 restrictions have been lifted, employers must continue to manage the risk of transmission of the virus in their workplace. This means that employers must:
- follow the safer workplaces guidance
- continue to conduct and regularly review COVID-19 risk assessments
- continue to take steps to meet existing health and safety requirements
- continue to consult the workforce on health and safety matters - talking to workers and their representatives helps reduce risks
Safer workplaces guidance is available.
Good practice
In addition to the baseline measures and safer workplaces guidance, we encourage businesses to continue with the good practice they have developed over the course of the pandemic that has helped prevent viral spread. This would include for example, maximising ventilation and enhanced cleaning.
For further information on good practice guidance, please see the good practice guidance page.
Future plans
We anticipate that it may be necessary to keep some mitigating measures in place in 2022, in order to help manage the increased pressure the NHS will face over the winter period and beyond. However we will continue to review the position every three weeks to ensure any measures remain necessary and proportionate.
Weddings and funerals
For more information on the rules for weddings and funerals see the staying safe guidance (weddings and funerals section).
Baseline measures, such as wearing of face coverings when not seated in hospitality, recording customer contact details and observing good hygiene practices throughout premises.
Contact
Central Enquiry Unit
Email: ceu@gov.scot
Phone: 0300 244 4000
Post:
The Scottish Government
St Andrews House
Regent Road
Edinburgh
EH1 3DG