Free Holidays for Healthcare Workers: A European Initiative
A grassroots movement that started off in Spain has spread across Europe, encouraging travel businesses, hotels, and B&Bs to provide free holidays to healthcare workers in the UK as soon as travel bans are lifted.
A small B&B in Andalucía kickstarted the campaign to provide NHS workers with a free holiday once they are free to travel again. Ian Rutter and Andrew Watson, who run Casa Higueras in Granada, remarked, “We wanted to give a few of those people working tirelessly in the NHS something to look forward to when this crisis subsides.”
“Moreover, we have empty rooms in our bed and breakfast. It is equally important to us to invite visitors back to Spain, and Italy for that matter, at a time of recovery when those visitors will be essential to the future of tourism in the hardest-hit destinations.”
Since its launch earlier this month, the movement has spread rapidly on social media throughout the UK under the hashtags #MyTravelPledge with properties in France, Spain, and Italy pledging to provide free accommodation to healthcare workers.
A similar initiative #treatournhs was set up by Sarah Bowman, the owner of The Hayloft – a 17th-century boutique guesthouse in Devon. Sarah posted on Instagram, expressing her desire to “give back to the NHS,” and offered a two-night stay in her studio for two to get the ball rolling. She emphasized, “The travel industry has been so hard hit by the pandemic, but the generosity I’m seeing is heartwarming. The messages I’m receiving from nurses and others in the NHS are so moving; they say we’re offering a light at the end of the tunnel.”
In fact, more than 100 businesses and accommodation owners have joined the campaign. The prizes on offer include luxury stays in a Scottish castle, a luxury French chateau, a holiday for four in Mallorca, spa days, and afternoon teas. Remarkably, the award-winning Pig hotels chain is offering nearly every one of its rooms to the #treatournhs campaign, with travel firms like CoolStays and Sawday’s recently signing up.
Anyone looking to participate by either nominating a healthcare worker or offering accommodation can do so by posting under the hashtags #MyTravelPledge and #treatournhs.
