Cornwall could see up to 80,000 tourists coming into the county from this weekend as businesses open for the first time since lockdown.

With hotels, campsites, attractions, pubs and restaurants all able to open for the first time from tomorrow, there is expected to be an influx of visitors.

Visit Cornwall chief executive Malcolm Bell said today that it was expected there could be between 75,000 and 80,000 visitors coming to Cornwall which he said was 30% down on usual numbers for this time of year.

But he added that it was expected to rise in the coming weeks to 100,000.

Mr Bell said that not all accommodation providers would be opening this weekend, with many large holiday parks not opening until Monday and some hotels until later next week.In South East Cornwall, excitement, relief, and caution have been felt in equal measure as the hospitality sector prepares for reopening.From the cosiest B+B to the largest hotels and holiday parks, all have had to evaluate every aspect of their operations to ensure they’re complying with guidance on COVID-19. Industry bodies such as the AA, Visit England and UK Hospitality have produced advice and assessments for businesses ahead of the Government’s guidance which was published just over a week ago.Pubs, restaurants and cafes will be able to open this weekend, and some who have the space have been able to take advantage of the Government’s relaxing of planning and licensing rules, in order to serve customers outside.The Hannafore Point Hotel in Looe will be fully open from Saturday apart from its leisure facilities, and manager Jon Prinn was preparing for a full meeting of around 30 staff on Tuesday. ‘They have done virtual training, but this is the first time they’ll have all been together since before the lockdown,’ he said.‘We have chairs set up in the ballroom two metres apart. ‘Everything will be different – we have tape marking out one way systems, and staff have their own zones allocated. ‘The key thing for us is safety first. ‘We’ve been using the UK Hospitality guidelines, that is what the Government advice is based on, and it’s a 138-page document.’Everyone coming into the hotel will have to provide their details so as to be contactable through Test and Trace, and the preparations ‘have meant a lot more admin and will mean the job is more labour intensive for staff’ says Jon. He’s pleased that the hotel is not actually fully booked on Saturday and that reservations build steadily through July, so as to give people time to get used to the new regimes. August is looking ‘one of the best ever’ he says.‘I hope people will follow the rules when they come to Cornwall,’ he said, ‘ and fingers crossed we will get through this. ‘We are feeling positive and quite excited about opening – I think all the staff are, they are looking forward to coming back into work because they have all been on furlough.’At the Dolphin House B+B, which has seven bedrooms and great reviews for its friendly welcome, owner Stephanie Visciano will be opening this weekend but has mixed feelings. ‘It’s double edged really, we don’t really want to open, but if we don’t we won’t have enough money for the winter,’ she said. ‘We think it’s too soon to be honest, especially with the new lockdowns happening elsewhere.’ The B+B will be opening with some changes – there’ll be no one-night stays, because of the deep cleaning required between visitors, and the communal areas such as the bar and lounge won’t be open.At Tregoad Park, a site with lodges, cottages and touring pitches, an answerphone message says they’re pleased to be opening from Saturday for bookings. Initially this will be for self-contained accommodation only, with communal facilities such as showers, swimming pool, cafe and bar closed for the time being. ‘There are still over 1,000 new infections a day in England,’ says owner Peter Hannay, ‘and we are taking our obligations to social distancing, cleanliness and the protection of our customers, staff and the local community very seriously.’Cornwall Council leader Julian German said that he had been “incredibly impressed” with how hospitality businesses had been able to adapt to ensure they are safe to open for visitors and customers.

However he said that not all businesses would not be reopening this weekend.

“For some the closed signs will remain in place the sign of the human cost of this crisis on our communities not only in lives lost but livelihoods too.”