Some Brits are – whisper it quietly – planning their escape to somewhere sunny this summer. But as the coronavirus crisis rumbles on and governments across the world decide whether to open their borders to foreigners, international travel is in a state of flux.
Many industry chiefs are bullish about a “post-Covid” tourism bounce back. Airlines have reported a surge in interest from UK customers and some experts have suggested booking early before prices start to rise. “We’re seeing the return of some level of confidence in booking travel,” says Alan French, CEO of Thomas Cook. “There was an immediate jump as soon as people finished work for Christmas and that has continued.
“In particular, older people are back in earnest. This month so far we have had more bookings for those aged over 50 than in any full month since we relaunched in September.
