Travel boss reports 'huge spike' in holiday bookings abroad
Hays Travel boss reports ‘huge spike’ in holiday bookings which are back to same level as BEFORE the pandemic with customers now paying £500 more for trips abroad
- Hays travel reported 53 per cent surge in bookings after testing rules scrapped
- Spain, Portugal, US remain most popular but also a boom in far-flung locations
- Brits opting for longer and all-inclusive stays, spending on average £482 more
Holiday bookings are surging to pre-pandemic levels after the UK announced plans to ditch stringent Covid testing rules – giving hope to a beleaguered travel industry following two years of crippling restrictions.
Hays Travel today reported a ‘huge spike’ in bookings after Boris Johnson confirmed all testing would be scrapped for the fully vaccinated from February 11, just in time for the half term break.
Rules for arrivals who are not fully vaccinated are also being eased, meaning they no longer have to isolate for 10 days – although they will have to take a day two PCR test.
It is hoped 2022 will be a turning point for the travel industry, which has been one of the hardest hit throughout the pandemic – costing the UK tourism market alone an estimated £180bn in lost revenue.
According to owner of Hays Travel, Dame Irene Hays, the rule changes, announced on January 24, saw a huge increase in bookings – with Spain, Turkey, Greece and the US among the most popular destinations.
And after enduring a global pandemic for the past two years, Brits are looking to pamper themselves, spending almost £500 more on their holidays by opting for longer stays and all-inclusive packages. They are also booking more trips to the Caribbean, and luxury cruises.
According to owner of Hays Travel, Dame Irene Hays (pictured), the Covid testing rule changes, announced on January 24, saw a marked increase in bookings – with Spain, Turkey, Greece and the US among the most popular destinations.
Dame Irene told BBC Radio 4’s Today Programme Wednesday: ‘People just want to spend more on themselves, they want to go all inclusive and they want to stay a little bit longer’.
She added: ‘In the last week of January we were back to the same levels of bookings as we were in January 2020.’
The travel expert said the average price per booking is up by about £482.
Dame Irene told This Is Money last month that while Brits are sticking by old favourites such as Spain and Portugal, there is a soaring demand for long-haul winter sun destinations such as Sri Lanka and Barbados and a 34 per cent increase in bookings for cruises.
She believes the encouraging statistics could represent a turning point for the travel industry after a rollercoaster two years.
She said: ‘The travel industry has responded very well to Covid and put in place safety measures to ensure people feel safe when they go abroad.
‘Providing people are able to look after their health and comply with the arrangements in resorts and returning to the UK, then the sky’s the limit.
‘The latent demand is enormous, so as long as there are no more constraints, it could be a fantastic year for travel.’
Speaking to Radio 4 this morning, she also said ‘huge numbers’ are returning to the high street to book holidays, adding that 56 per cent of her current customers are new to Hays Travel compared to 2019, when the number was about 19 per cent.
Dame Irene told This Is Money last month that while Brits are sticking by old favourites such as Spain (pictured, beach in Valencia) and Portugal, there is a soaring demand for long-haul winter sun destinations such as Sri Lanka and Barbados and a 34 per cent increase in bookings for cruises
If you arrive in England after 4am, February 11, the following rules will apply.
Fully vaccinated
If you qualify as fully vaccinated for travel to England, you:
- Will not need to take a COVID-19 test before you travel to England or after you arrive
- Will not need to quarantine when you arrive
- You will need to complete a passenger locator form before you travel to England.
Not fully vaccinated
If you do not qualify as fully vaccinated for travel to England, you will need to:
- Show proof of a negative COVID-19 test – test to be taken in the 2 days before you travel to England
- Book and pay for a COVID-19 PCR test – to be taken after you arrive in England
- Complete a passenger locator form before you travel to England
- You will need to book the PCR test before you travel.
- You will not need to quarantine, unless the result of the PCR test is positive.
Source: gov.uk
She added: ‘They want to speak to human being, they want to get to know them, they want to make sure that they’re getting the best advice before they book, but they also need to know that somebody will be there for them while they’re on their holiday and when they return.’
It comes after airline Jet2 reported a 30 per cent surge in bookings for Spain , Italy and Portugal after testing and self-isolation rules for people arriving in England were dropped.
Jet2 and tour operator Jet2holidays reported a ‘notable increase in demand for holidays and flights’ after the new testing policy was revealed on January 24, said chief executive Steve Heapy.
Andrew Flintham, managing director at tour operator Tui, described the move as ‘a huge leap forwards in getting travel back to normal’.
And Reigo Eljas, Country Director UK and Ireland at lastminute.com, told MailOnline the site saw an overall surge of 28 per cent in bookings on the previous week.
Paul Bixby, easyJet holidays’ Commercial Director, also said the firm saw a ‘significant increase’ in holiday bookings less than 24 hours after the announcement.
Airline bosses last month pleaded with the Government to end travel restrictions in an open letter – arguing they have had a devastating effect on the UK’s economy, with marginal health benefits.
‘This has meant fewer business trips and less investment in our economy, fewer chances for holidays and to reunite with friends and family abroad, and fewer international visitors’, the airline bosses wrote.
‘VisitBritain estimate nearly £50bn in tourism spend from overseas has been lost since the pandemic began – all resulting in less tax revenue to fund public services including the NHS.
‘The recovery of the UK’s aviation industry is vital; not just to the more than half a million people working in it, but to everyone who lives and works in the UK.’
The letter was signed by the heads of Ryanair, Easyjet, Loganair, British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, and Jet2, as well as the chief executives of holiday travel group Tui and trade body Airlines UK.
It comes as France yesterday revealed plans to drop its requirement for vaccinated travellers from Britain and America to show proof of a negative Covid test on arrival.
Speaking on Tuesday, Minister for European affairs Clement Beaune did not specify an exact date that the new rules will come into force, but said they would announce the change in the ‘coming days’.
Under current rules, anyone travelling to France from outside the EU, including Britain, has to show a negative Covid test result from the previous 48 hours, regardless of vaccination status.
Beaune said the country is preparing to drop tests for vaccinated travellers outside the European Union, which were reintroduced in response to Omicron, as infection numbers continue to fall.
EU members agreed on January 25 to better coordinate their travel rules, in particular for people crossing borders within the bloc.
‘This week there will probably be a new European protocol for vaccinated people arriving from outside the EU, with eased measures,’ Beaune added.
Kurt Janson, director of the Tourism Alliance, said: ‘The Tourism Alliance welcomes any move that facilitates international travel and helps the recovery of one of the UK’s largest industries.
‘UK tourism businesses have lost almost £180bn in revenue over the last two years and many are in danger of collapse this year unless restrictions of travel are removed as quickly as possible and there is co-ordination between countries so that people are not left confused as to what they need to do before travelling.’
WHAT ARE THE CURRENT COVID TRAVEL RULES IN EUROPE?
France
Under the current rules, anyone travelling to France from outside the EU, including Britain, has to show a negative Covid test result from the previous 48 hours, regardless of vaccination status.
Travellers also have to complete a ‘sworn statement’ form certifying that they are not suffering from any symptoms associated with Covid-19 or have been in contact with anyone who has the virus in the previous fortnight.
France recently banned travellers if they were double-jabbed nine months ago or more.
Italy
From February 1, travellers from countries within the EU will only need to show their ‘Green Pass’ on arrival in Italy.
For travellers from the UK and America, passengers must fill out a passenger locator form prior to travelling.
Fully vaccinated passengers must also show evidence of a negative PCR test taken within 48 hours or a negative antigen test taken within 24 hours of arriving in Italy.
Regardless of vaccination status, travellers may be subject to random Covid testing on arrival.
Unvaccinated travellers must show proof of a negative PCR or lateral flow test, notify the prevention department of their arrival, self-isolate for five days and take another PCR or lateral flow at the end of the isolation period.
Spain
All travellers from the UK must complete a health control form and show proof of documentation on arrival.
Passengers must also show valid proof of vaccination at least 14 days prior to arrival in Spain. The UK’s Covid-19 recovery record does not count.
Fully vaccinated travellers no longer need to undergo Covid testing on arrival or show proof of a test.
Spain is set to reject EU plans for unvaccinated people or those with only one dose to be allowed to travel provided they recovered from Covid within the past 180 days.
Switzerland
If fully vaccinated, passengers can enter Switzerland without having to get a negative Covid test.
Vaccinated UK travellers must show proof of vaccination on arrival and must have had their final vaccine dose 270 days prior to travel.
Travellers who are not vaccinated are not permitted to enter Switzerland.
Germany
UK travellers can enter Germany if they are fully vaccinated and must possess proof of vaccination to show on arrival.
Fully vaccinated passengers do not need to have a negative Covid test.
Travellers who are not fully vaccinated may only enter Germany from the UK if they are a German citizen, the spouse or child under 18 of German citizen, serve an important role or have an urgent need to travel.
Permitted unvaccinated travellers must show proof of a negative PCR test that is no more than 48 hours old, and will also have to quarantine for ten days.
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