Ready to fly... cheap half-term holidays
FAMILIES are rushing to snap up cheaper half-term holidays, thanks to a rising pound and a promise to scrap Covid PCR tests.
Travel bosses have reported a surge in booking for next weekend, when schools break up.
It follows news that the £65 PCR probe will be replaced with a £30 antigen test when people return to the UK from October 24.
Meanwhile sterling’s rise in value against European currencies means Britons will see their holiday cash go further.
Families will pay up to 18 per cent less in seven of the 10 most popular autumn sun spots thanks to the stronger pound, research by the Post Office shows.
Nick Boden, of Post Office Travel Money, said the pound was worth about eight per cent more against the euro and the Croatian kuna than a year ago.
Winter sunseekers are grabbing breaks at popular destinations such as Dubai, Alicante, Malaga and Mauritius.
Skyscanner said its weekly bookings for half-term have increased by 17 per cent in the last seven days. The company’s Gavin Harris said: “Booking volumes are rising as a result of the recent relaxation of the rules for travel.
“We expect this to continue to rise as we get closer to the school break.
“Prices may fluctuate as a result of supply moving to meet demand but many providers have vowed to make travel accessible for everyone and are keeping prices low to compete for bookings.”
Travel firm lastminute.com said reservations made last week soared by 48 per cent compared with the previous seven days.
Reigo Eljas, from the firm, said: “We believe the reduction in testing requirements and less hassle for travellers to find and get tested at their holiday destination, as well as any associated cost savings, have boosted people’s appetite to jet off again.”
A spokeswoman for travel company TUI said: “We are continuing to see a big increase in bookings for October half-term.”
People went on a holiday spending spree after the Government said its red list of countries would be slashed to just seven last week.
Matthew Pack, of Holiday Extras, said: “People have had confidence to travel ever since the traffic light system was dropped at the start of this month.
“Our bookings have been up 20 per cent ever since.
“Unfortunately, the testing news the Government snuck out on Thursday came too late to make any real difference for families hoping to get away this half-term.”
UK coastal resorts have also seen “exceptional demand” as uncertainty over the pandemic continues. Simon Maguire of Luxury Family Hotels group, offering British holidays, said: “We certainly haven’t felt any negative impact from the lifting of international
travel restrictions.”