The Scottish Government has been urged to set up a fund to help holidaymakers returning from Spain who are required to quarantine.
Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie said “practical solutions” are needed to help people who could face a “significant loss of income” as a result of having to self-isolate for two weeks.
He urged ministers to set up a hotline for those affected by the quarantine decision – announced just days after the Scottish Government said it would allow people to travel to Spain without any restrictions.
That decision was announced last Monday but on Saturday the Scottish Government, together with other UK administrations, said a recent spike in Covid-19 cases in Spain meant visitors to the popular holiday destination need to isolate for two weeks on their return.
Meanwhile north travel agents said the decision was only the “tip of the iceberg” and would do little to give people confidence to book a foreign trip.
Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf conceded there are “lessons to learn” after the decision to remove Spain from the list of countries exempt from quarantine.
Mr Rennie said the Scottish Government’s decision-making on the issue has been “shambolic and avoidable”, adding there was evidence of a surge in cases in Spain before the decision to lift quarantine requirements was made.
“We need some practical solutions to support those travellers who jumped at the opportunity to go to Spain only to find themselves facing a fortnight off work in isolation,” he said.
“For many, this could mean a significant loss of income.
“The people who need help are those who left for holiday to Spain last week because they were told by the Scottish Government there would be no requirement to quarantine on their return.”
Travel agents in Inverness predicted the potential for change in government advice would make tough trading conditions even worse.
A spokeswoman for SJ Travel Centre said: “We did not have anyone booked to go in the next few days but this is the tip of the iceberg.
“It’s not getting any better and this won’t give anyone confidence to book a holiday.
“It had improved but people don’t want to book now, it’s gone dead.”
High Street shop Alba Travel admitted there hadn’t been a “huge number” buying trips to Spain in the week since advice last change, but a spokesman added: “This is an incredibly uncertain time and we have not been actively promoting trips as I can foresee this is likely to happen again.”
Speaking on the BBC’s Good Morning Scotland radio programme yesterday, Mr Yousaf acknowledged how “frustrating and disappointing” the situation is for many tourists but said travel during the pandemic will always have an element of risk.
“In the space of a week, from July 17 to July 24, we saw cases in Spain almost double from 5,700 to 11,000,” he said.
“I think that’s important for us to do, particularly because without a global vaccine being available there are going to be times when countries are going to be taken off the exempt list, put back on the list, depending on the data that we receive.”
