Once restrictions were lifted many thoughts turned to holidays

When Covid restrictions lifted here at the end of January, it appears the first thing very many people did was book a holiday.

“It was like a tap turned on. Their first thought was, ‘yes – we can go now’!” says Claire Doherty, product director at Travel Department.

When Covid-19 restrictions lifted here at the end of January, it seems the first thing many people did was book a holiday. Destinations special report looks at how holiday-goers seem determined to make up for lost time.

[ The Irish Times ePaper ]

The travel firm had its best day ever on January 31st. “The timing of the lifting of restrictions coincided with an offer we were running. We had to open the phone lines for an extra three hours to cope with demand. It was wonderful.”

Holiday-goers look determined to make up for lost time. “They are looking to go somewhere they can be pampered, much more than they used to,” says Michelle Anderson, marketing manager at Topflight.

Demand for four- and five-star properties is up. “People haven’t had a holiday in two years and feel they need to make this count. As a result they are willing to spend more.”

Larger numbers are travelling together. “It’s a couple of families looking to holiday together or multigenerational groups, including grandparents. People want to mark the milestone anniversaries and birthdays they missed,” she adds.

People are booking ahead too. “They want something to look forward to. For so long now the only thing we had to look forward to was the lifting of whatever the next level of restrictions we were in.”

Many have a thirst for adventure. Topflight has seen a surge in ski bookings from beginners, with Austria the company’s top ski destination. This year, alongside perennial favourites such as Westendorf, the company has added new destinations such as Schladming, to satisfy demand.

“Austria has smaller resorts with a lovely family feel. It’s great for families because the transfer times are short too,” she says.

“February and March are a great time of the year to go because you’ve more chance of sunshine and it’s not quite so cold. Also, you get the benefit of that stretch in the day.”

Big draw

For summer holidays Italy is the big draw this year for Topflight, which favours tried and trusted favourites such as Lakes Garda and Como, and Sorrento. “We’re seeing a rise in demand for Tuscan villa holidays too, which are great for families, large and multigenerational groups,” she says.

Topflight also runs an Austria summer programme which is proving very popular, and includes Tyrolean destinations such as Westendorf, St Johann and Mayrhofen.

“It’s a lovely option because you stay in one hotel but have three or four excursions booked during the week, so you’ve days out and downtime too. We’re seeing a lot of mother and daughter bookings for those trips,” she says.

Most of the bookings currently being made at Travel Department are for Europe too. “People are still a little cautious about going long haul so Europe is going to be huge this year,” says Claire Doherty.

Yet interest in Canada and America is strong too, as is demand for its escorted tours to Russia and Jordan. “We’ve had to put on extra trips to Jordan to meet demand, and the Russian tours, of St Petersburg and Moscow, are just incredible. I’ve never seen such ostentatious wealth and such opulent palaces,” she adds.

Within Europe Travel Department is also seeing strong demand for Tuscany and lakes Garda and Como. “The idea of being outside in the fresh air holds appeal for people right now,” she says.

Walking

The pandemic has left another holiday legacy too. “People really got into walking during lockdowns. For a long time it was all we could do in our local areas. We are seeing that feeding into demand for our TD Active walking and adventure holidays, which are out-the-door with inquiries,” says Doherty.

The other big trend she sees is a rise in bookings from solo travellers. “It’s fantastic because in many cases it was single people who felt most disconnected during the pandemic,” says Doherty.

Escorted tours are the perfect way to travel alone but in company. “I was only chatting to a woman the other day who called to book a trip with five people she had met on a previous solo trip six years ago,” she adds. “So many people who go on these tours alone make great friends who become travel buddies. It’s terrific.”