Brits raring to travel despite lockdown uncertainty, survey finds
The UK has a greater appetite for travel during the Covid-19 pandemic than other EU countries, a study by Adara, data specialist, found.
Brits were surveyed to be are the most resilient travellers, compared to other EU countries, now making up 23 per cent of all international bookings from EMEA.
The study found that UK citizens can’t wait to escape lockdown Britain as travel hopes surged on vaccine news.
AstraZeneca’s vaccine announcement caused a 28 per cent spike in one-day bookings.
Carlyn Corda, a marketing boss at Adara, said “the appetite for booking holidays is still there”. She added: “Travel is set for a big bounce back as vaccines roll out and people feel more comfortable.”
However, safety fears have not put off UK travellers. 56 per cent of bookings from the UK are to non-travel corridor countries with high Covid infection rates.
The British are more likely to travel abroad, rather than take domestic breaks, than their EU counterparts. 81 per cent of Brits book international holidays, compared to 47 per cent of French travellers.
Despite the optimism, the pandemic has changed the way customers book. Last minute bookings are more popular than in previous years with the zero-14 day window taking a 30 per cent share of the bookings for winter. In contrast, bookings over 90 days in advance account for a 30 per cent share as people pin hopes on vaccines or effective lockdowns.