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Summer holiday searches rise despite travel uncertainties

Searches for package holidays to popular European destinations have risen in the past two weeks as countries move to reopen their borders to tourists following Covid-19 lockdown.

Interest in holidays to Spain between July 1 and October 31 have increased by 52%, Greece by 51% and Portugal by 38%.


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There have also been 40% more price comparison searches for July, August and September holidays in the last fortnight, according to new data from TravelSupermarket.

The ten most popular countries are:

  1. Spain
  2. US
  3. Greece
  4. Maldives
  5. Turkey
  6. Mexico
  7. Italy
  8. Portugal
  9. Cyprus
  10. UAE

TravelSupermarket travel commentator Emma Coulthurst said: “There are more people searching for a holiday now for this summer than there were at the beginning of May.

“Talk of air bridges and countries opening up to tourism appears to be getting people searching and comparing holiday prices.

“Holiday prices have also been creeping down in the last fortnight and there are some good prices on offer.

“However, the reality is that we don’t yet know when Brits will be able to travel again.

“The FCO indefinite advice against anything but essential travel remains in place and there is no indication of when this will be lifted.

“It is wait and see as to which countries will let Brits travel there and when – and when the UK Government will allow Brits to travel overseas for holidays again.

“The UK 14-day quarantine is also set to come in on Monday (8th June) and to be reviewed in the last week of June.”

And she added: “Despite the increase in people searching for holidays for this summer in the last week, people are clicking through from our site and booking with travel companies for next summer, more than they are for this summer.

“There needs to be more certainty before people are willing to take the plunge on this summer more than next.”

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