Hundreds of thousands of passengers are set to jet off for half-term holidays over the next week British tourists take advantage of Covid testing rules easing both at home and abroad.
Vaccinated travellers no longer need to take Covid tests to enter the UK from Friday while several European countries have scrapped pre-departure tests, opening up winter sun and skiing destinations in time for the school break.
The changes mean airports are braced for a bustling few days. Around 200,000 passengers are expected to depart from Stansted between Friday 10 and 18 February, with another 186,000 from Gatwick, 160,000 from Manchester, and 90,000 from Luton, according to travel association ABTA.
Eurostar said more than 125,000 people are booked to travel between the UK and the continent during the school holiday. Friday is its busiest day, when more than 16,000 passengers are booked to travel.
Turkey, the Canary Islands and Egypt are among the top destinations for short haul trips, with Switzerland, Italy and France the most popular choices for skiers, travel association ABTA said.
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said the scrapping of testing ahead of half term comes as “good news” for families, while ABTA said the move has made foreign travel much easier.
Graeme Buck, director of communications at ABTA, called the rule changes the “start of a new chapter for the travel industry’s recovery”.
“Testing has been one of the biggest barriers to travel, so it’s hugely welcome that the process of travelling abroad is now much cheaper and easier for millions of UK holidaymakers,” he said.
Bharat Gadhoke, head of commercial at specialist travel association AITO, agreed the removal of testing was a positive step but called for greater consistency on how vaccination is defined.
“We need to see harmonisation of vaccine status across the EU for UK travellers, that includes children over 12 years and over,” he said.
The requirement for unvaccinated arrivals to the UK to self-isolate is also dropped, but they will still need to take tests.
Portugal, which removed pre-arrival Covid tests for fully vaccinated people earlier this week, is proving popular since the rule change but holidaymakers have been warned to check their vaccination date to ensure entry. Portugal defines a person’s full vaccination status as expired if a supplementary dose was administered more than 270 days ago.
France is also set to drop the testing requirement for fully vaccinated arrivals from the UK, but it has also introduced an expiry date on the validity of the most recent Covid dose.
Paul Charles, founder and chief executive of travel consultancy The PC Agency, told i: “Governments are now realising that unless they relax restrictions, they will lose market share to other destinations. So they are falling like dominoes in terms of opening up their borders for half-term.
“This is welcome news and will help to build confidence among travellers and show them it is safe to travel again without worrying so much about testing.”
Check before you travel
UK holidaymakers travelling abroad must still follow the coronavirus regulations that apply at their destination.
Spain’s requirement for children over 12 to be fully vaccinated led many UK families to cancel plans to visit the Mediterranean country over half-term.
France – To qualify for the country’s Covid pass, which is required by people aged 16 and over to enter a wide range of cultural and entertainment venues, individuals must able to prove full vaccination, recent recovery from Covid or vaccine exemption.
Portugal – Like France, it counts full vaccination status as expired if the latest Covid dose was received more than 270 days prior.
Spain – While Covid testing is no longer a requirement for entry, full vaccination, with the policy applying to all those aged 12 and over.
Italy – A negative Covid test, taken with 48 hours, is still required irrespective of vaccination status.
Laura Lindsay, Skyscanner’s destination and travel trends expert, told i the traffic to the holiday booking site was 230 per cent higher in January than it was at the same time last year.
“We’ve seen a great start to 2022 with winter sun bookings to test free destinations, ski trips and last-minute trips over half-term taking a good portion of our bookings from UK travellers over the last few weeks,” Ms Lindsay said.
However consumers are being extra careful about when and where they choose to travel, with more booking last-minute to avoid getting caught out by changing restrictions.
Hays Travel, the UK’s largest independent travel agent, said it has seen 50 per cent more people than usual using a travel agent for the first time.
A spokesperson for the company said: “They want to have someone who will be there for them not just when they book, but before they go, while they’re away and when they come back.”
In the UK, drivers have been warned traffic could be heavier than usual. AA spokesperson Tony Rich said February is usually the quietest half-term but this Saturday and next weekend may see an uptick in traffic.
Mr Rich said: “We would expect to see more traffic around indoor attractions and large shopping centres, such as Meadowhall, Bluewater and the Trafford Centre, so if you do plan to take a trip to one of these places, it may be helpful to plan ahead and build in extra time for your trip.”
