Some good travel news
So, there is some more good news for all who are planning to get away on holiday this year.
For fully vaccinated travellers, pre-departure tests for returning to England are being scrapped and the Day 2 PCR test will be replaced by the cheaper lateral flow test, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has confirmed. This means that travellers no longer need fear being stranded overseas at considerable costs and returning home is also much cheaper.
In a statement to the Commons, he said that the pre-departure test for returning home will be scrapped for entering England from 4am today (Friday 7th January), a month after it was reintroduced. The requirement to self-isolate on arrival is also being lifted. The replacement of PCR tests by the cheaper lateral flow tests for day 2 after return will happen from 9th January. Of course, arrivals must still take a PCR test if the Day 2 lateral flow test is positive.
Mr Johnson explained the reasons for these changes when he said, “When the Omicron variant was first identified we rightly introduced travel restrictions to slow its arrival in our country. But now Omicron is so prevalent these measures are having limited impact on the growth in cases while continuing to pose significant cost on our travel industry.”
Holidays are ‘back on’
Holidays are definitely ‘back on’ and that is demonstrated by the surge in enquires I have had in recent days.
However, the challenges for those wanting to book a holiday for this year will be availability and price as there are a significant number of postponed bookings which have been rolled over from 2021. This means that some of the best resorts are already almost full, and that lack of availability pushes up the price of what is left.
Act fast – Act smart!
All this means that you need to act fast, and you need to act smart!
Did you know that there are thousands of holiday deals at this time of year that are only shared with the travel trade and not with the general public? This means that the deals you might find yourself online are not ‘the only deals in town’ and quite likely not the best prices on offer.
As a Personal Travel Consultant, I have oversight of the offers you can see as well as the ones you can’t. I also have the experience of navigating all the entry rules and regulations of destinations all over the world, which has enabled me to help my clients to avoid the many, potentially expensive, pitfalls of ‘going it alone’.
So, if you would like a great deal on a holiday experience you will remember for all the right reasons this year – act fast, act smart and get in contact with me.
Others already have!
As a Personal Travel Consultant, I am able to organise fantastic holidays all over the world that are completely ABTA and ATOL protected. Also being part of the Hays Travel Group, I have the backing and resource of the largest independent travel group in the UK – meaning great service and prices!