HANDS are tied at North Wales holiday parks as visitors often do not understand the differing Covid rules for Wales.

After 17-months of uncertainty, business is certainly booming again across Wales, as the Northern region becomes a hotspot for visitors.

Tourism is slowly starting to increase back to pre-pandemic levels, with North Wales becoming the hottest place to visit, it is certainly good news for the economy.

Lyons Holiday Parks, with sites across North Wales, is just one business that has felt the effects of the pandemic, when life as we knew it came to a halt.

Joseph Lyons Mound, company director said: “The pandemic was a completely unprecedented situation which has forced many local companies into difficult situations.

“As a leading holiday park in North Wales, we were heavily impacted during the 2020 lockdowns, as we rely on domestic tourism.

“While the majority of owners were unable to visit the park during the national and local lockdowns during many months of 2020, we were actually able accommodate owners who had extenuating circumstances.

“This means that those whose homes were in disrepair, those who were self-isolating for diagnosed medical reasons, or those who were working at COVID-19 hotspots such as hospitals and care homes and needed alternative accommodation, stayed on park.

“Throughout the pandemic, we have been silently supporting individuals and families with their needs. Our commitment to supporting the community was also upheld during the pandemic, as we worked closely alongside the local authority to provide accommodation to the homeless population here in Denbighshire while the parks were closed to tourists and owners.”

Beth Hughes, PR Executive, said one of the biggest struggles during lockdown was communicating the differing guidelines between England and Wales.

She added: “I think many people forgot that we are a team of people just trying to do the best we can in an anxious situation. People looked to us for information the second an announcement was made, which is understandable, but maintaining communication during an uncertain time had its challenges.

“Thankfully, things have vastly improved and we’re proud to have maintained good relationships with our customers, some of whom have been with us for decades.

“Business is certainly booming again, and it’s wonderful to see so many people back on-park and enjoying the delights of the Great British Holiday. It’s the little things like seeing kids on bikes enjoying themselves again, and hearing people singing to old classics at our entertainment venues – that’s when you realise you’ve been missing a breath of life.”

However, as life slowly returns to ‘normal’ and the pandemic is still with us, there are worries over what the future may hold.

For Martin Mugglestone, entertainment manager at Lyons Holiday Parks, the biggest future worry is when restrictions will end.

He said the changes in restrictions including ordering at the bar, no face masks in hospitality settings and easing of social distancing rules have been great, but people do not realise some restrictions remain in Wales.

He went on to say: “We’re still restricted with the amount of people who can stand inside an entertainment venue. Yes, people can sit closer together and yes, we have been able to increase our capacity, but we’re still unable by law to fill that venue to 100%.

“I don’t think people understand this, and some of the feedback can be quite negative. But our hands are tied. We all have to be careful and continue respecting others after what’s gone on this past year, but from an entertainment perspective, things are far from normal and I can’t wait until we go back to pre-Covid days.”

The Leader has previously reported that people are facing long waiting times for an ambulance and pressures on A&E are increasing. The winter period is also looking particularly bleak as the public is being urged to play their part to help ease the burden.

Suggestions have been made that holiday parks could be affiliated with their own GP surgery, which could prevent visitors attending already stretched practises and hospital departments in North Wales.

The public are being urged to play their part in keeping one another safe.

Geoff Lyons Mound, company director, said: “This whole pandemic has been a team effort, and the public play a vital part in keeping everyone safe.

“We’re doing everything we can, but what we need from people is for them to continue respecting others’ values and opinions which may not coincide with their own, and also keeping up with the local guidelines in whichever area of the UK they choose to holiday in.

“We’re all about supporting local, and helping revive the local economy after a tough year, which is why we’ve been working alongside local businesses to help boost trade.

“If everyone could carry on supporting local, that would be great, and we can maintain our position in North Wales – and Cumbria - as one of the most desirable destinations of 2022 after the boom in staycations this year.

“We all know hospitality is a difficult sector at the moment, and the majority of our guests have been understanding about certain pressures and restrictions.

“When the general public has been deprived of the everyday enjoyable things like going for a pint, or eating out, now people are finally allowed to go out, the expectation of standards, the service, and the experience as a whole are that much higher because its more of a ‘treat.’

“We go above and beyond to meet these standards, and our customers’ understanding and patience goes a long way.”