Beat the post-pandemic holiday stampede

With the booking season in full swing, it can feel like everyone has a dream trip coming up – except you. Greg Dickinson has the inside track on where to look and what to book

You may have missed the memo, but holidays are back. Testing requirements have eased for the fully vaccinated, making travel cheaper and easier for families planning their holidays this year. What’s more, France has just reopened to British holidaymakers, putting one of our favourite destinations back on the map.

So with an empty 2022 calendar pinned to your wall, there is no better time to get some holidays locked down, in ink. We do not wish to instil panic, but a fair few pen lids have already been popped and calendar squares filled. Last weekend, on what has been named “Sunshine Saturday” for being the busiest bookings day of the year, travel companies had sales to rival January 2020. Thousands of holidays were bagged, from rustic Greek villas to floating cabins in the Maldives. But does that mean you have already missed the boat? Thankfully not. According to leading tour operators, there is an air of optimism about the year ahead, with ample availability for holidays even after this month’s booking flurry. And flight prices appear to be stable. Laure Bornet, of flight comparison site Kayak, says: “While searches are on the rise, overall average flight prices appear not to have been affected significantly at this point, so travellers can be reassured there is still time to grab a good deal.”

Why not start by considering which type of holiday takes your fancy this year? We have selected some of your favourite holiday types, with expert analysis on where to book, when to go and how to guarantee that you make the most of your big holiday for 2022.