Holidaymakers are already booking beach holidays in the sun for the summer – ‘boom year’

Chris Packham admits he doesn't get why people like the beach

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Going on holiday is something Britons look forward to all year. The Covid pandemic has put a damper on many travel plans and holidaymakers may be looking to catch up on lost times.

This year has already been predicted to be record breaking for staycations, but Britons are also planning to jet off overseas.

Since the UK Government announced the easing of testing requirements, travel company On the Beach has revealed its sales have grown exponentially.

The most popular destination so far were the Canary Islands.

They were followed by the Greek islands of Rhodes and Crete for summer.

Beach holidays are attracting many Britons who may have missed out over the last couple of years.

To make up for lost time, luxury was in the cards, with four and five stars hotels being the most in demand.

Zoe Harris, Chief Customer Officer at On the Beach, said: “We’re thrilled to see the excitement surrounding summer holidays this week following the easing of travel restrictions.

“It’s been a very difficult couple of years for travel, so to see consumer confidence returning is incredibly encouraging.

“At On the Beach, we know that summer holidays are the most wonderful time of the year, and we’re delighted to see people getting ready to see the jet off for a well-deserved break.”

While it may seem early to book an overseas break, most experts agree January is the best time to get organised.

Paul Melinis, Managing Director of river cruising and touring specialist APT, said: “2022 is set to be a boom year for travel, as holidaymakers scramble to make up for lost time.

“A lot of operators have consolidated their product offering so there will be some supply and demand challenges for customers, so I’d strongly recommend that travellers book as soon as possible to secure their preferred dates and destinations for this year.

“There are also some good offers in the market at the moment as it’s the travel industry’s ‘peaks’ period, so booking before the end of January will probably offer the best value.”

Liz Mathews, UK General Manager of Flight Centre said: “January is historically the best time of year to book a holiday due to the amazing New Year deals found across many travel companies.

“However, in 2022 more than ever before, January is the best month to book a flexible and affordable holiday.

“Firstly, the New Year’s deals on offer this year are some of the best we’ve seen, as many top companies, now offer unprecedented flexibility, low deposits, and affordable package deals due to Covid.

“Secondly, since Christmas we’ve already witnessed an increase in customer enquiries for overseas holidays to levels not seen since before the Omicron variant emerged.

“This pent-up demand is only set to build, as many British travellers organise holidays or reorganise cancelled trips in 2022, which we predict could cause availability issues in hotels and flights later in the year.

“We advise customers who are certain they want to get away to book now and avoid the anxiety later in the year.”

And Matt Ovenden, CEO and founder of of Borrow A Boat, said: “We’re expecting to see a strong return to the international travel market in 2022. In fact, to date, 90 percent of our bookings for this year are for international boat charters.

“There’s a definite sense that people want to book a holiday abroad well in advance – the pent-up demand is palpable.

“Over the last few months we’ve already received a large number of bookings for summer 2022 with popular destinations including Croatia, Greece and the Balearic Islands.

“So, if you’re planning to get back to international travel this year, and if you have a specific destination or dates in mind, our advice is to book as far in advance as possible to avoid missing out.”

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