Survey finds foreign travel nearly doubled after Covid rules were lifted

The UK scrapped its final remaining pandemic travel restrictions in March.

Demand for foreign holidays nearly doubled after the UK lifted its final coronavirus travel rules, according to new research (Liam McBurney/PA) (PA Archive)

Holidays abroad nearly doubled after coronavirus restrictions were lifted, according to new research.

Travel trade organisation Abta said a survey indicates that 38% of UK people travelled overseas for leisure between March and August, compared with 21% during the previous six months.

The UK scrapped its remaining pandemic travel restrictions in March, including the requirement for all arrivals to complete passenger locator forms, and those who were not fully vaccinated to take a coronavirus test.

We now face an uncertain year ahead

Mark Tanzer, Abta

Abta said the poll of 2,000 consumers suggests overseas travel for the 12 months to the end of August was at 70% of pre-pandemic levels.

It described this as a “significant proportion” given the timing of coronavirus travel restrictions being lifted in the UK and at destinations.

They survey, conducted in late August, also suggested that only 4% of people who took a holiday in the previous 12 months were not planning to take another during the following year, despite the cost-of-living crisis.

Of those who intend to cut back their holiday spending, 36% said they would take fewer trips.

Some 61% of people questioned planned to head abroad in the following 12 months.

The survey indicated that people are more likely to cut back on nonessential spending elsewhere, such as eating out (55%), leisure activities (48%) and clothes, shoes and accessories (40%), rather than holidays (35%).

Asked how serious an issue the cost-of-living crisis is for the industry, Abta director of communications Graeme Buck replied: “Obviously it’s going to dampen demand.”

Abta chief executive Mark Tanzer, speaking at the organisation’s annual convention in Marrakesh, Morocco, said: “The lifting of the UK’s travel rules this year unleashed a surge in overseas holidays.

“Given how much these restrictions had dampened demand, it’s quite remarkable to see foreign holiday taking already reaching 70% of 2019 levels, which was in itself a bumper year for travel, in such a short space of time.

“We now face an uncertain year ahead given the cost-of-living challenges, but Abta’s research suggests that we should continue to see an increase in foreign holidays next year and, encouragingly, many of our members have also been reporting a high level of demand for bookings.”