Coronavirus Frequently Asked Questions

With World Health Organization having declared the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak a pandemic, travel restrictions and quarantines starting to emerge and employers are advising their workforces to avoid any travel, we have got plenty of questions from concerned travellers around the world. We completely get it; nothing’s worse than a change of those well-anticipated travel plans. We want to make this distressing situation a wee bit easier for everyone affected, so we put together some of the most frequently asked questions from our guests.

Is it safe to travel to Scotland?

The number of confirmed cases in Scotland is rising, but currently, there are no travel restrictions in place for visitors travelling to Scotland. However, we do recommend everyone to follow the current guidance to minimise the spread of the virus. Check out your local government's and WHO's travel advice before travelling for most up-to-date information.

Read also our previous blog post about coronavirus and travelling to Scotland.

What if I am already in Scotland?

If you’re already in Scotland and your travel plans have been affected, you might as well make most of your time here. Remember to follow the UK government guidelines to minimise the spread of the virus, but if you’re healthy, you might as well enjoy the opportunity to explore the most beautiful country in the world. Check out our hostels around Scotland and our multi-award winning tours of Scotland. As of 13th March 2020, we have no plans to cancel any of the tours to the Scottish Highlands.

What to do if I have booked a tour with MacBackpackers?

Currently, all our tours depart as planned. However, we know that some of you can no longer make it, so we have decided to have a wee bit more relaxed cancellation policy for a while. If you’re unsure you can travel as planned, you can change your travel dates free of charge or cancel the tour now up to 48 hours before departure. If cancelling, you get the usual 75% refund. The remaining 25% can then be put towards a future tour departing within 12months. Check out the full terms and conditions for more information.

If for any reason we have to cancel any future tours, we will either try to find you a suitable alternative or give you a full refund of the cancelled tour. Book with confidence!

What can I do to protect myself if I travel?

Good personal hygiene is the best way to help minimise the spread of the virus. Wash hands with soap and water often, reduce the spread of germs when you cough or sneeze by covering your mouth and nose with a tissue, or your sleeve (not your hands) if you don’t have a tissue, and clean and disinfect regularly touched objects and surfaces.
Read more advice here. We clean and disinfectant our hostels and buses even more often than usual to minimise spreading any germs. Remember to also protect the others around you, if you feel unwell, contact the local health board for advice and self-isolate if needed. If you need health advice in Scotland, you can contact NHS 111.

Where to look for more information and support?

If you’re in Scotland or planning to travel here soon:

• NHS 111 coronavirus service
• Official guidance to COVID-19 from the UK Government

General information for everyone:

• World Health Organization (WHO) website
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website
• Timeline on the evolution of the Coronavirus outbreak

Please, notice that this post was published 13th March 2020 and with the situation evolving quick some of the information you read here might be outdated. If you have any questions, contact our booking office info@macbackpackers.com or call +44 131 558 9900.