Travel company boss hopeful about this year’s holiday season

The boss of Europe’s largest tour company has said he is “optimistic” that the summer holiday season can be saved with successful vaccine programmes.

In an interview with the BBC, Tui Group chief executive Friedrich Joussen said bookings in March had hit 2.8 million, with the company expecting to operate up to 75% of its normal schedule for the summer season.

Britons are set to be allowed to travel abroad for foreign holidays from May 17 under the UK Government’s road map to easing the ongoing coronavirus restrictions.

Pointing to the success of vaccination programmes in the UK, US and Europe, Mr Joussen told the broadcaster: “We are still confident that we will have a decent summer.

“All medical advice we are getting as a company says that existing vaccines are working with existing variants.

“Now they might be less efficient sometimes, but still it’s much better than not being vaccinated,” he added.

Mr Joussen also said he thinks a negative test result would be just as effective as a vaccine passport in preventing the spread of the virus.

However, he admitted that the tests would need to be made cheaper before such a strategy could be successful.

SUNNY OUTLOOK: Tui Group CEO Friedrich Joussen said the company expects to operate at 75% capacity this summer.