Brits are willing to spend more for a safe holiday in 2021
Brits are prepared to spend an additional £850 to ensure safety for their summer holidays
New research published by AllClear Travel Insurance suggests cheap and cheerful holidays are at the back of the nation’s mind when considering where they will go, with the average holidaymaker preparing to spend as much as £850 more on their holiday to ensure their own safety and security. The latest research suggested that nearly three-quarters (72 per cent) said that they expect to spend more on their holiday this year.
Examples included an average of £222 more for a flight; £104 more on travel insurance; £266 more on the destination resort hotel, £149 more on travelling around at their destination, and £110 more on private tours and excursions – these expectations being broadly similar across all age groups.
Considering different destinations to avoid risk
While people are looking forward to a holiday, almost a third (30 per cent) of those questioned said that they are spending more time planning their getaway and considering different destinations to avoid the risks presented by Covid-19, rising to 32 per cent of those over 55.
Where and what type of holiday people are planning have changed significantly, as the research found. One in six (17 per cent) people are more prepared to consider a broader range of destinations, while one in seven (14 per cent) are considering a broader choice of holiday types than they had previously. The study highlighted self-catering and walking holidays as being among those people felt most safe taking.
Travel insurance ‘nightmares’
When Covid took hold in the UK, many travellers found their travel insurance fell short – a fifth (20 per cent) described dealing with their travel insurer ‘a nightmare’, especially where family members had caught Covid while on holiday. For this reason, travellers are now more likely to ensure that their insurance cover is comprehensive, said AllClear. The latest findings from the insurer indicate that customers are prepared to pay more for that peace of mind – on average, £104 more over 12 months.
Vaccine passports get the thumbs up from regular travellers
A separate poll of over 3,000 AllClear customers – many of whom have underlying health conditions – found that there appears to be strong support for vaccine passports among those that travel regularly. While 68 per cent said they would feel more confident about travelling following a vaccination, 88 per cent believed that vaccination ‘passports' should be mandatory.
Their research also found that 97 per cent either have had, or will accept, the vaccine, and only a cautious 16 per cent say they don’t plan to take a holiday this summer.
Chris Rolland, CEO of AllClear Travel Insurance, commented: “The inspiring roll-out of the British vaccine programme is giving travellers hope that they will be able to get away when allowed to do so. Provided travellers are prepared to be flexible, there is absolutely no reason why holidays can’t be booked with confidence. The restrictions imposed as a result of the pandemic have made holidays more important than ever.
“Common sense suggests that millions of people looking to travel abroad who have had the vaccine – with early signs suggesting reduced transmission – should be allowed to travel. A vaccine passport, supported by the majority of our own customers, seems the logical solution to enable this.”
To make a safe holiday possible, the European Tourism Manifesto alliance has made a series of joint recommendations for EU Member States on how to relaunch travel and tourism in Europe.