Midlands travel agents expecting holidays to go ‘bonkers’

Mark Johnson, director at Polka Dot Travel, which has 19 shops, including in Oswestry, Shrewsbury, Welshpool, Stafford, Cannock, and Lichfield, said the vaccination programme was offering hope of a return to some kind of normality.

Mr Johnson said that despite the huge hit to international travel throughout the pandemic, people are still looking to book holidays – something he said provides a major mental health boost while people suffer the grind of lockdown.

He said: “The travel industry is possibly, along with the hospitality industry, the worst hit by the pandemic. There have been so many restrictions in place that very little travel has been happing at all.

More Covid news:

• Headlines from the West Midlands, Staffordshire and beyond

• Headlines from Shropshire, Mid Wales and beyond

“It has been difficult but having said that we are still relatively busy in terms of people booking for the summer – this summer and summer 2022.”

He added: “I think there is still a real fair chance of holidays happening this summer, albeit under certain restrictions like mask wearing on aircraft, but I think there is a fair chance with the vaccination programme being rolled out in the UK and the rest of the world.

“I think for mental health reasons people need something to look forward to. This has been a long hard slog with the restrictions. It is like being in a straitjacket. People need something to look forward to.

“Two weeks in the sun, some quality time with the kids or as a couple. Some time to chill and relax, it is brilliant for mental health to have that to look forward to.”

Mr Johnson said that if the government were to block travel over a sustained period going forward then they should look to support the industry financially.

He said: “If they are going to lock things down and not allow travel then they have to provide sector specific support for the aviation and travel industries because there are thousands of people who work in that industry and rely on it.”

Another travel agency said the restrictions during the pandemic have seen some people rebooked three times.

Optimistic

Maggie Rogers, managing director of the Travel Wallet, in Bridgnorth, revealed the scale of disruption caused to the holiday industry due to the onset of Covid. However also said she is optimistic for better times ahead, and believes the requirement of holidaymakers taking Covid tests and having vaccines could become the new normal.

Her firm has customers from Wolverhampton to Dudley and right the way through to Oswestry in Shropshire.

She said: “The whole of the pandemic, as an independent travel agency, has very badly impacted on the whole of the industry, whether you are a travel agent or a tour operator, or an airline.

“I think, along with hospitality, we have been the most affected by it. It is very difficult because since last March, travel has been very stop-start.

“In some instances, we are changing some people’s holidays for a third time. I have got a couple of people that were going in 2020, cruises in particular that have changed to 2021 and now I have just changed them to 2022.

“That means we have done the work on that holiday three times but for no extra revenue. It is a lot of disruption but it is what it is. People still want to go on holiday as soon as they can. We are positive, the vaccines are being rolled out.

“We are hopeful, between the all the governments, a lot of places are asking for a Covid test prior to travelling to your destination, within 72 hours. Some are asking for a Covid test for the day after.

“Then you have to have a Covid test when you come back to the UK. So for one holiday, some people are having three tests.

“Coming back into the UK, what the travel authority is suggesting maybe people have a Covid test 72 hours prior to coming into the UK, and then having another test the day after they arrive, and staying in quarantine until they get their results.

“It means they would have two Covid tests within five days, which means you would then hope that if the first one wasn’t correct, the second one will be.

“I think that is the way it is going to move forward and there is one tour operator on their coach tours or their cruises, that the clients have to have a Covid vaccine before they can travel.

“I think this is how it is going to open up.

“We have still got a huge amount of holidays booked for this summer but I have got a horrible feeling certainly nobody will be travelling in February or March, or April. Maybe people might start travelling May but that is my personal opinion.

“It is just an ongoing situation. I think at the moment, everybody is just a bit down with the Covid numbers. “I think we are starting to move out a bit slowly but it is all a bit doom and gloom at the moment. Once we get the green light for travel, it is going to go absolutely bonkers.”

“It is going to be so busy. There is some amazing deals if people are booking early for later on in the year.

“I have just found something for someone to go to New York, and it is the most brilliant offer.

“It is a very small supplement flight.