Covid-19 safety concerns dominate travel choices of British travellers

With 66 per cent of Brits still considering a holiday abroad, new AllClear research has revealed that the Covid-19 safety record of a country, the resort and proximity to good medical services abroad have soared to become the crucial factors that are framing overseas travel decisions.

Following the Government’s re-introduction of quarantine rules – and the risk of additional countries joining the quarantine list – AllClear has surveyed a nationally representative sample of 2,000 British adults to get an up-to-date picture of the UK traveller’s mindset.

The top two priorities for those considering a trip abroad revolved around firstly picking a country that had a good record for Covid-19 safety (44 per cent of respondents) and secondly assessing the likely risk of a country going back into lockdown (42 per cent).

There were also concerns about safe travel, with social distancing on flights now more important (39 per cent) and 29 per cent of people wanting the comfort that airports would be safe to pass through. Thinking about a stay abroad, the state of the health service in the host country (36 per cent) was also a more important consideration.

Given the seismic shift in focus towards wellbeing and safety issues on holiday, the research also noted a growing number of UK consumers were no longer looking for cheap insurance, but quality cover that fully protected them from Covid-19 risks. Overall, 36 per cent of respondents said that having the best possible insurance that would fully cover them for COVID-19 risks was now a top priority when considering a holiday abroad.

Chris Rolland, CEO of AllClear, commented: “Despite the re-introduction of quarantine restrictions, many people still want to travel in the months ahead. Particularly among the over 50s, the reasons for travel can be wide-ranging. Some want a holiday, some want to visit family, children and friends – and some have properties abroad. The crucial issue at the moment is to help protect people when it is safe to travel. Our latest research shows that safety considerations have rocketed in importance, which itself shows that the vast majority of people want to travel responsibly.

“It is also interesting to note the beginnings of a sea-change in people’s attitudes towards travel insurance, with quality taking price off the table. At AllClear, we are committed to supporting the consumer and the industry by tackling the issues that really matter today. We have done this by putting together the most comprehensive Covid-19 travel product in the market, drawing on 20 years market-leading experience. Our survey starkly shows that, for those considering a trip abroad, safety dominates the questions being asked.