CORONAVIRUS

Huge rise in holiday bookings as Britons dream of the sun

Spain and Greece top the destinations as firms report 600% increase in a week
Graeme Paton
, Transport Correspondent |
Ben Clatworthy
, Assistant Travel Editor |
Matt Dathan
, Home Affairs Editor
The Times
Kefalonia in Greece, which last week was in talks with the UK about prioritising the return of vaccinated British holidaymakers. If the vaccine roll-out stays on track here and abroad and variants are kept at bay, Britons may be able to go further afield this year than Durdle Door, Dorset, where thousands went last year, or the Lake District
Kefalonia in Greece, which last week was in talks with the UK about prioritising the return of vaccinated British holidaymakers. If the vaccine roll-out stays on track here and abroad and variants are kept at bay, Britons may be able to go further afield this year than Durdle Door, Dorset, where thousands went last year, or the Lake District
GRAHAM HUNT/BNPS/ALAMY
Graeme Paton
, Transport Correspondent |
Ben Clatworthy
, Assistant Travel Editor |
Matt Dathan
, Home Affairs Editor
The Times

Foreign holiday bookings soared seven-fold last night after the prime minister announced his plan to ease lockdown.

Airlines and tour operators reported a sudden spike in sales immediately after Boris Johnson suggested that holidays outside the UK could be possible as early as mid-May.

EasyJet’s holiday division said that the number of bookings increased by 630 per cent last night compared with the same time the previous week, with demand highest for Mediterranean beach destinations. It said that the highest number of bookings had been made for Malaga, Alicante and Palma in Spain, Faro in Portugal and the Greek island of Crete.

Jet2, the airline and the UK’s second biggest tour operator, reported a similar 600 per cent increase in bookings in the few hours