First Minister Mark Drakeford today announced the country will scrap its “stay local” guidance from that date, if the science allows it.
That will let people travel – including from England – to stay in ‘self-contained’ accommodation including holiday cottages, static caravans and some hotels.
Tourism businesses will be able to take bookings from Monday 13 July, he added.
The announcement – after months of Wales’ borders effectively being closed to English people – comes as Mr Drakeford prepares to announce the latest stage of lockdown easing today.
The village of Fairbourne in Gwynedd – one of many beauty spots in Wales (Image: Getty Images)
Non-essential shops in Wales will be allowed to reopen from this coming Monday.
They will be followed by schools from Monday 29 June. Unlike in England, they will be open to pupils from all year groups – but only for limited periods during the week, with only a third of pupils in school at any one time.
English people have effectively been outlawed from Wales in lockdown for two main reasons.
English law bans people from staying overnight away from their home – and Wales has told people not to travel more than five miles.
But England is likely to drop the ban on overnight stays when England’s hospitality sector begins to reopen from July 4.
And Mr Drakeford has now suggested he’ll drop the five-mile rule on July 6.
He told BBC Radio 5 Live: “On Monday 6 July, provided the virus is still under control, we will lift our ‘stay local’ instruction here in Wales and at that point the tourism economy will reopen in Wales.
“I’ve got to caveat it by saying we’ve got to be sure the virus is still under control at that point.
“Provided it is, the stay local restrictions will be abolished [on July 6] and people inside Wales and from outside Wales will be able to travel.
“I’ll be saying today to our tourism sector that they should use the next three weeks to prepare so that beyond that, self-contained accommodation will be able to reopen in Wales.
“People will be able to travel to holiday cottages or static caravans or hotels that are organised on a self-contained basis.
“And people will be able to take bookings in Wales on July 13 onwards.”
Mr Drakeford warned “it won’t be like going back to the way things were” and “the virus is still here” – and said any local outbreak could put the date back.
