Santa is sold out, but confused travellers avoid sun favourites
Parents eager to reward kids but coalition’s messaging hits summer plans
THE cash mountain accumulated by Irish families who saved on childcare costs and other expenses as well as the commute while working remotely is set to create a big holiday bonanza for children.
Now it appears parents want to reward children who missed out on important life events over the past year and a half including Communions and birthdays – by giving them a trip of a lifetime to Lapland before Christmas or to the ever popular Florida theme parks in 2022.
Travel agents are reporting a rush on that magical visit to Santa with two- and three-night stays to visit the great man in his toy workshop and enjoy the wonders of snowy Lapland above the Arctic Circle proving unbeatable.
John Barrett of Magic Vacations in Kinsale, Co. Cork, told the Irish
Mail on Sunday: ‘There are 24 direct
‘Nobody is blinking at the price’
flights from Ireland to Lapland and all the two and three-day holidays have sold out.
‘The cost for two adults and two children would only be a few hundred under €6,000 but nobody is blinking at the price. Parents are splurging out to reward the kids who had it tough and missed out a lot during pandemic lockdowns.’
Mr Barrett also reported a surge of bookings and enquiries for school holiday visits to Disneyland Paris and for trips of a lifetime to Walt Disney World and Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida.
He added: ‘Customers have been saying their children missed out on big life events like birthdays, Communions and Confirmations and they want to make it up to them.
‘They are booking family packages to Orlando for the theme parks over the Easter holidays and summer of 2022.’
The emphasis on splashing the cash on more distant trips abroad was echoed by Sunway Holidays chief executive Mary Denton.
Ms Denton told the MoS: ‘Irish holidaymakers are itching to get a holiday abroad this summer and Portugal and the Canary Islands continue to be in high demand.
‘Customers are prepared to spend a lot more for their well-deserved holiday this summer.
‘We are seeing a big increase in multi-generational holidays, as families want to catch up on some quality time with each other and what better way than with a nice holiday in the sun.’
Travelnet.ie manager Tom Randles said enquiries had picked up since the Government announcement on the resumption of travel on July 19 when the EU Digital Covid Certificate comes into effect. But
he said most bookings have been for the autumn and winter.
However, Irish Travel Agents Association (ITAA) chief executive
Pat Dawson said ‘a shortage’ of airline seats would be the main stumbling block for people looking to jet off to sunnier climes in the autumn.
Mr Dawson said almost all flights to the popular Irish hotspots in the Canary Islands, Portugal and mainland Spain are already full for the midterm October break, with only the most expensive seats still on sale.
The ITAA chief said connectivity would also be a problem in resuming travel to the US when the ban on travel is lifted, with limited availability until the end of the year.
Mr Dawson said that the cost of PCR tests in Ireland was also prohibitive and the ITAA wants the
Government to apply for some of the €100m set aside by the EU to reduce the cost of Covid testing.
Some European countries such as France are currently offering PCR tests for free. They are also available at a far lower cost in some other nations than in Ireland, where the cheapest tests will set consumers back around €100.
Travel agents are also reporting there is a lot of confusion among the public over what is required of them in relation to travel vaccinations and restrictions.
‘Flights for mid-term sun breaks are almost full’
Maura Fahy, managing director of Fahy Travel Worldchoice in Galway, told the MoS: ‘Current interest is low for the summer months, especially for families, there is some interest for later in the year.’
Meanwhile Michael Bowe, managing director of Bowe Travel in Thurles, Co. Tipperary, said there was ‘definitely pent-up demand’.
But he added: ‘Presently most customers are waiting to see the adaptation of the Digital Green Certificate before confirming. The Irish Government’s mixed messages with regard to the start-up of
‘Mixed messaging is making people nervous’
travel is making customers nervous.’
Ann Davis, general manager at Abbey Travel, agreed most people were too cautious to fly in the short term.
She told the MoS: ‘There is still too much confusion in relation to vaccinations and government direction, which changes almost daily.’
Winter sports specialist Topflight says bookings for ski holidays at the start of 2022 are performing extremely well.
Topflight chief executive Anthony Collins told the MoS: ‘Customers can’t wait to get safely back to the slopes with family and friends or to see their children experience a ski holiday for the first time.’