Last-minute bookings beating summer holidays

Holiday bookings have risen steeply since last weekend, when expensive and onerous UK testing rules introduced because of the Omicron variant of coronavirus were eased.

But almost one-third of travel agent sales are for trips within the next four weeks, while just 7 per cent are for holidays in July and August respectively.

Julia Lo Bue-Said, chief executive of the Advantage Travel Partnership, told The Independent: “Confidence to book to travel within the next few weeks is growing, with around 30 per cent of all sales for travel within the next four weeks.”

The figure for May, when the summer package holiday season gets under way in earnest, is 11 per cent.

But bookings for each of the key holiday months of July and August are just 7 per cent of total sales.

The same figure, 7 per cent, applies for bookings for the whole of 2023.

The Advantage CEO said: “It’s quite clear from our data that the euphoria created by the removal of restrictions that were reintroduced on the back of Omicron have certainly given consumers the confidence to book.

“However, what is now required is a period of sustained consistent travel policies to enable consumers to feel confident to book further ahead.

“Travel remains exceptionally complicated and engaging with an expert travel agent is critical.”

She also warned: “Even if the book of forward business was looking healthy, there is no guarantee the customer will depart and therefore travel agents still have do a huge amount of work and risk not being paid.

Ms Lo Bue-Said is calling for an end to the “day two” test for all arrivals to the UK, and simplification of the “onerous” British passenger locator form.

“Since the announcement of changes to travel restrictions our members have seen a significant boost in sales. However the talk of huge percentage increases is misguided in correlating this to business performance,” she said.

“Week on week the percentage increase off a very low base is not something to get too excited, too early about.”

When the transport secretary, Grant Shapps, set out the removal of the Omicron-related travel restrictions, he tweeted: “By reducing testing requirements for fully vaxxed passengers to just a lateral flow post-arrival, we’re supporting the safe reopening of international travel.

“We’ll do a full review of travel measures by the end of Jan to ensure a stable system is in place for 2022.”

Many international restrictions remain, including a near-total ban on British visitors by France. Hopes are rising that French frontiers will reopen in the next few days.