The ASSC has been selected to appear at the business and welfare hearings for the Scottish COVID-19 Inquiry in December 2024, having given written evidence on June 2024.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Scotland’s self-catering sector faced significant challenges, with businesses closing in March 2020 following guidance from the Association of Scotland’s Self-Caterers (ASSC). Many operators made personal and financial sacrifices, with some providing free or discounted accommodations to NHS workers.
Throughout the crisis, the ASSC played a crucial role in supporting the industry. The small team provided regular updates on regulations, financial aid, and re-opening strategies through newsletters, social media, and their website. They engaged with the Scottish Government, tourism bodies, and local authorities, collecting feedback from self-catering businesses to advocate for better access to grants and financial support.
In collaboration with UK-wide bodies, the ASSC developed industry-standard cleaning protocols, endorsed by governments and widely adopted by organisations like Airbnb and VisitBritain. By October 2020, over 100,000 downloads of these protocols had occurred.
The ASSC successfully lobbied for the early re-opening of the self-catering sector on July 3, 2020, contributing an estimated £20 million to the Scottish economy. They also secured a one-million-pound fund in August 2020 to support businesses that had not received prior financial aid.
As part of broader recovery efforts, the ASSC hosted webinars on key topics like cleaning, dynamic pricing, and regulation, and collaborated with other tourism and business sectors. Their efforts ensured that Scotland’s self-catering industry navigated the pandemic while contributing to its economic recovery.