All of Devon's visitor attractions will be able to open from Monday, May 17 as further easing of Covid restrictions comes into effect, in the next stage of the Government's 'roadmap to recovery'.

Some will be opening for the first time in several months – others that were partially open will be able to welcome customers into their indoor facilities, such as soft-play areas, rides within buildings, exhibitions, and museums.

The lifting of indoor hospitality restrictions means attractions will also be able to re-open their cafes and restaurant areas, and not be restricted to only offering takeaways and outdoor dining services.

Members of Devon's Top Attractions have all been working to prepare their sites, as well as recruiting and training staff. Behind closed doors, they have been making improvements and changes to their operating procedures and processes.

However, they will still have limited numbers being allowed through their doors, and will still be following all Government guidelines. Some attractions are, therefore, phasing in the date of re-opening their indoor areas but, by May half-term, nearly all DATA attractions will be fully open and operational. And some attractions are starting to offer key seasonal events which have not been offered since before the pandemic first took hold last year.

In some cases, attractions have remodelled the whole delivery of their 'day out experience'. There is a jubilant and celebratory feel among Devon's Top Attractions for the May 17th 'take off' date when all holiday accommodation will be open; domestic overnight stays allowed; indoor socialising, and indoor dining all allowed again.

Some of the attractions finally reopening[H2]

Monday May 17 will see the first steam trains running on the tracks and carrying passengers again at the South Devon Railway after a 15-month absence. Pecorama in Beer will reopen on May 18. Pecorama Operations & Events Manager Blanche Alexander said: " We are really excited to be able to open our gates on Tuesday 18th May. After 14 months of closure, the steam locomotives are being fired up, the gardens tidied and our outside catering cafés prepared so we can welcome visitors once more."

[H2]How the attractions are helping to promote one another

The May 17th key date also coincides with Devon's Top Attractions launching their new 'stronger together' mutual-promotion project by unveiling location map boards at all members' sites. These are part of DATA's own Covid-19 'Rethink, Remodel, Rebound' strategy developed last year when fighting for survival.

Each DATA member attraction will have at least one clearly visible map board located in high footfall areas. Through the proven technology of using large size QR codes, the new boards will offer visitors a quick route to view other member attractions; find information about them, and even book tickets.

The boards could well be viewed by the five million plus visitors a year who already come to Devon's Top Attractions, and these new location boards may be rolled out and offered at other key visitor locations such as holiday parks in years to come if successful.

The Chairman of 'Devon's Top Attractions' and South Devon Railway PR manager, Dick Wood, said: "Our member attractions are all getting 'ready to roll' again so visitors can have some much-wanted fun once more. But they have also put in much hard work and preparation in order to continue to keep staff and visitors safe and following Government guidelines.

"Our attractions are eager to either re-open for the first time in 12-18 months, or to now fully re-open their whole attraction. And we are so pleased to see some of Devon's key annual events starting to re-appear in our events calendar again – that shows confidence going forward!

To check the latest information on Devon's visitor attractions, click here