One of the region’s tourism bosses believes the industry needs support “now more than ever”.
Monday saw the latest relaxation of lockdown regulations, with hotels, pubs and tourism attractions among the businesses allowed to open up for the first time this year.
And it also saw the end of the ban on cross border travel, which has been in place since Boxing Day.
VisitScotland’s regional leadership director Paula Ward said it was a date the tourism industry had been waiting for “for a long time” after a “long, hard year for our industry – one that some will not make it back from”.
She said: “Our tourism industry needs us now more than ever – not only is a day trip or staycation the perfect antidote after lockdown, but it will help support our industry and rebuild this vital part of the economy.
“The recent figures published by the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions for 2020 are a stark reminder of the impact on the industry, not only for indoor attractions but for those outdoor locations as well.
“Across the south of Scotland, many visitor attractions saw their visitor numbers decline by 80 to 90 per cent in some instances.
Ms Ward said: “I am so incredibly proud of our tourism and hospitality businesses and operators. They are the perfect example of entrepreneurial spirit – they have not given up because of what the virus has thrown at them.
“They have shown incredible flexibility, they’ve embraced new operating procedures to ensure that their places of business adhere to strict health and safety guidance and at the same time they continue to offer a fantastic experience.
Ms Ward believes there is a “real desire” from Scots to explore their own country, with Dumfries and Galloway “the perfect destination for exploring the great outdoors”.
However, that didn’t come without problems when lockdown was eased last year as there were a number of incidents of antisocial behaviour at beauty spots, including littering, wild camping and people using the great outdoors as a toilet.
As a result, a Team South approach has been taken involving Dumfries and Galloway Council, Scottish Borders Council, South of Scotland Enterprise, South of Scotland Destination Alliance and NatureScot.
As well as ensuring there are adequate visitor facilities, it also aims to educate people how to enjoy the countryside responsibly.
Ms Ward added: “Our natural resources are hugely important to communities and visitors alike and should be protected.
“With the restart of tourism, we have a unique opportunity to positively engage audiences, helping them to enjoy the outdoors responsibly and enabling them to aid the recovery of our rural economy.
“To ensure we maintain our stunning landscapes, we must ensure we protect, respect and enjoy our countryside and cities responsibly by asking people to leave no physical trace of their visit.
“We have once again worked in partnership with the South of Scotland Destination Alliance on the Twinned with Tourism campaign to help reassure local communities that tourism businesses are reopening safely and respectfully and that communities in turn can help businesses welcome visitors back.”
South of Scotland Destination Alliance project manager, Jemma Reid, said: “We are very much looking forward to welcoming visitors back and seeing our businesses get back to what they do best.
“As well as providing a toolkit to support our businesses reopening, we have created a new visitor charter which we’ll be promoting across our Scotland Starts Here consumer channels and we will also be launching new online features and advice for people visiting by campervan, including an interactive map, supporting guidance and videos.”
