By Brazil variant may make foreign summer holidays impossible, ministers warned.
It has been one of the main topics of conversation recently but should we really be booking a holiday for 2021 just yet?
Within hours of Boris Johnson announcement to move England out of lockdown, travel websites were reporting a rush of reservations from people desperate to get a date for a break in the diary.
Caravan park owners, holiday cottage websites and the airlines reported 300% rises in bookings as the fear of missing out won the day.
Booking.com Image
TUI’s bookings were up 500 per cent with breaks in Greece, Spain and Turkey proving the most popular.
Managing director Andrew Flintham said there is “huge demand to travel” and urged the government to work with travel operators to prepare for a return to international travel.
Following Boris Johnson’s announcement on the roadmap out of lockdown, Brits were offered some clarity on when restrictions may end.
This has led to a surge in holidaymakers trying to plan a getaway, with international travel potentially being allowed from May 17.
Yvette Cooper has called on the UK Government to expand the hotel quarantine system, and warned that it is “raising expectations” about the prospect of summer holidays that it “may not be able to meet.”
PA Image
On BBC Radio Four’s Today Programme, the former Shadow Foreign Secretary appealed for tighter border measures, saying: “we should also be looking at testing at the airport, in the way that South Korea does… as well as Australia and New Zealand, which have more expanded hotel quarantine systems.”
Jet2 released a statement saying ‘if you’re planning a holiday or have one booked, it’s really important that you read the information about the country you’re travelling to and continue to check the information right up until you’re due to depart, as requirements can change.
“Please remember this information is subject to change and correct at the time of publishing.
“And don’t forget, if you or any of your party are showing symptoms of COVID-19, you’ll not be able to travel.”
