Travel Firms Brace for Unprecedented Demand Following Eased Restrictions and January Pay Day
Travel companies are preparing for an unprecedented surge in summer holiday bookings this weekend, with one industry leader predicting it could be the busiest in their company’s history.
This anticipated boom comes on the heels of the UK’s announcement that coronavirus testing for fully vaccinated arrivals will end on 11 February. The timing also coincides with the first payday after Christmas for millions of workers, further fuelling demand.
Simon Cooper, CEO of the online travel company On the Beach, expects this weekend to be a landmark moment. “We foresee a record-breaking weekend, as people who’ve spent January researching holidays are now ready to book,” he said. Demand for overseas travel has been climbing steadily, with a noticeable boost after earlier announcements scrapping pre-departure tests.
Cooper anticipates that summer 2022 will match or even surpass pre-pandemic levels, with destinations like the Greek islands, Turkey, and Dubai leading the charge. However, Spain lags due to its policy requiring all arrivals over age 12 to be fully vaccinated, deterring some families.
Tui, the UK’s largest tour operator, is similarly gearing up for its busiest weekend since the pandemic began. Chief marketing officer Katie McAlister noted a resurgence in customer confidence. “The desire to travel is stronger than ever, and many are taking advantage of flexible bookings and great deals to secure long-awaited sunshine holidays,” she explained.
Luxury travel specialist Kuoni is also expecting high demand, with popular locations including the Maldives, Mauritius, the Caribbean, and Greece. Helen Roberts, the firm’s sales director, highlighted a spike in interest for “bucket list” holidays. “Many customers haven’t travelled in over two years and are ready to book their dream trips,” she said.
Paul Charles, head of consultancy The PC Agency, sees the weekend as a pivotal moment. “Consumers are eager to plan trips after two years of restrictions,” he observed, predicting record levels for summer travel in 2022.
Airlines are also experiencing renewed momentum. EasyJet’s CEO, Johan Lundgren, announced plans to operate their largest number of summer flights to beach destinations from the UK, highlighting how the easing of restrictions has propelled the UK ahead of Europe in travel bookings for the first time since 2020.
With pent-up demand, enticing offers, and relaxed travel rules, this weekend is set to mark a turning point for the travel industry as holidaymakers plan their long-awaited escapes.
