Dear Reader

TRAVEL has been under a cloud for far too long — but finally some sunshine is beginning to break through.

Today, the Government has announced that it will protect refund credit notes offered by travel companies in the event of packages being cancelled as a result of Covid-19.

This will bring to an end the hideous wrangling between holidaymakers and tour operators — whereby customers have wanted their money back and the travel companies have been unwilling to give it, claiming that if they were to do so they would go bust.

Credit notes or vouchers have been offered instead, but until now they were assumed to be worthless in the event of the travel firm filing for bankruptcy.

Not any more. The Government is offering a money-back guarantee as long your package holiday includes a flight — and so many of us will now happily accept a refund voucher, knowing it will be protected and can be cashed in at any time until next September.

Good news, too, on the cruising front, following clarification that last week’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office advice warning against cruise travel does not include river sailings (pictured).

The Government clearly was caught on the hop — just as it was over the quarantine debacle — but many of our readers love a cruise and its one of the big growth sectors in the industry. On Pages 68-69 we look at inspiring river cruises coming up soon and into 2021.

Tui flew out its first British sunseekers to Ibiza this week — and, as we explain on Page 67, we were on board. This glorious island has a different feel to it — quieter, less crowded. No great hardship, then.

In fact, wherever you go in Europe, there are advantages to travel at this uncertain time.

Finally, our cover story looks at holidays for single travellers, where the choices have never been more varied and with the dreaded solo supplement in retreat at last.

People are living longer, often on their own, and others are single by choice — and so this is another growing market and one that, thankfully, turns on its head the notion that two’s company, three’s a crowd.