Incentive to travel drops in the UK
Eighty-eight per cent of people will not be travelling abroad this year, according to hotel room offer firm Hoo
That’s right – only 12 per cent of the 2,000 UK people that Hoo surveyed plan to travel abroad this year. On a national scale, that figure equates to just seven million UK citizens planning to head overseas in 2021. Covid-19 restrictions, as well as refund concerns, are clearly taking their toll on the travel industry.
Indeed, when asked what had impacted their desire to travel, 19 per cent of people stated that having to cancel a holiday due to Covid restrictions was the biggest concern while a further 19 per cent said that not being able to get a refund if they did have to cancel was stopping them from booking. Interestingly enough, the UK Civil Aviation Administration recently extended it’s deadline for refund credit notes. However, it’s worth noting that there has been much contention from travellers over travel agents’ delays in refund payments over the last 12 months.
Insurers should be transparent about their cover for those willing to travel
Having to quarantine while on holiday and catching coronavirus were also prominent concerns for 17 per cent of UK holidaymakers – 15 per cent were put off by the idea of having to quarantine on their return to the UK.
Another compelling figure uncovered by Hoo’s findings is that 80 per cent of UK holidaymakers believe quarantine hotels to be a good idea. This is a concept that is due to become a mandatory requirement for travellers heading into Canada and to Scotland, for example. However, holidaymakers should also be wary of the additional expenses that these facilities can incur – in Canada, for example, three nights at a specified quarantine hotel can end up costing travellers an extra CA$2,000.
As such, travel insurers should be conscious of promoting cover that includes quarantine expenses, and should be transparent about the exclusions involved to avoid a bout of unhappy customers.