News of the ‘early’ opening for caravan parks was welcomed by operators in the Highlands.
Elaine Pope, runs Ardtower Caravan Park at Culloden, near Inverness, with Iain Mackintosh, and said: “It is wonderful news.
“We had targeted July 15 for our return, but if we can open on July 3 that is just fantastic.
“We are closed during January and February and we opened in March for 22 days.
“That has been our only income so far this year and it has been challenging.
“Thankfully we have been inundated with people wanting to come to stay and a difference of two weeks is a lot of money.
“And people are not just booking two night stays. Now its seven or 14 nights. That’s a biggie for us. It looks like a lot of people are going to do a staycation holiday.”
Ms Pope said the pitches are already 6 metres apart and the park has invested in four ‘privacy bathrooms’ for single use if needed, although visitors will be using their own facilities.
“It’s very exciting,” she added.
“Our bookings so far have been around a 50 mile radius, and there have been none from south of the border, so it looks like people at the moment are staying relatively close to home.”
Duncan Macdonald-Haig, who runs Loch Ness Bay Campsite, had also been preparing to welcome self-contained motorhomes, caravans and campervans from July 15.
“Most people who were booked have cancelled or moved to another time of the year, but maybe once they hear it’s possible we may get some more bookings,” he said.
“We are delighted to see some movement and a relaxation of restrictions as up until now we have just been closed.
“It makes sense. If they have their own facilities they can be safe as long as the owners take sensible steps.
“It gives us an opportunity to have some sort of season and, as it goes hand-in-hand with the distance people are prepared to travel, it is good the five mile rule is also being relaxed.
“A lot of the attractions people would hope to visit are not yet open, but we can offer them a pleasant break in a lovely outdoor environment.
“We don’t want to see a rise in the number of infections in the Highlands, but it will work if people observe the rules and don’t come if they have symptoms.
“We have all sorts of advice and protocols for that and we now have to get a move on and do some more work on that so everything is in place.”