Travel: 34% of Brits Planning Overseas Holiday

With England’s ‘Freedom Day’ just around the corner, and lockdown restrictions set to ease across the UK in the coming weeks and months, new research from Forbes Advisor UK, the personal finance insight and comparison website, has revealed Brits’ 2021 holiday plans. While there remains a great deal of confusion about which countries people can safely and easily travel to and return from, 34% of sun-starved British holidaymakers are still holding out hope for a foreign getaway this year.

16% of the frustrated holidaymakers surveyed have already booked a holiday for 2021, while one in 10 (9%) have cancelled a holiday for this year but intend to book another, and 9% haven’t booked a break yet but are planning to.

Top 10 destinations for UK holidaymakers in 2021

While 33% of people believe that their next holiday will be closer to home than usual, including a UK staycation or travelling to a nearby European country, Forbes Advisor UK’s research also found that people’s traditional hotspots haven’t been significantly affected by the highly changeable travel restrictions both home and abroad:

1. Spain (22%)

2. Greece (13%)

3. Italy (13%)

4. USA (12%)

5. France (12%)

6. Portugal (12%)

7. Germany (6%)

8. The Caribbean (6%)

9. Turkey (5%)

10. Canada (5%)

Have vaccine, will travel

Proof of Covid-19 vaccination is a must-have requirement for anyone wanting to travel overseas, according to two in five (42%) Brits, and over a quarter (28%) believe that not having this proof should invalidate a holidaymaker’s travel insurance policy.

And despite the uncertainty that surrounds foreign travel this year, almost a third (29%) of travellers fail to always take out travel insurance when they holiday abroad. When asked why they didn’t always take out travel insurance, respondents said:

• It’s too expensive (30%)

• I don’t need it (26%)

• I already have travel insurance with my bank account/credit card (21%)

• It’s too much hassle (21%)

• It’s pointless because insurers don’t pay out (19%)

• I forget (18%)

Comment 

Commenting on the findings Kevin Pratt, travel insurance expert at Forbes Advisor UK, said, “People are understandably desperate to enjoy a foreign holiday this year, and we’ve already seen that, when restrictions are lifted, people flock abroad to soak up the sun and unwind. Now that the UK and many popular holiday destinations, supported by the ongoing success of the vaccine rollout, are moving to a position of living with the virus, a further easing of travel restrictions seems increasingly likely.

“So, while most Brits are still opting to wait until next year for their overseas holidays, our study suggests many are ready to jet off as soon as possible. But it’s concerning that so many are ambivalent about buying travel insurance. This is worrying in normal times, but even more so post-pandemic.

“Travel insurance is a vital addition to any holiday. Not only can it protect you against the cost of medical treatment while abroad, it can also help to reimburse you if your holiday is cancelled or otherwise disrupted, or if your possessions are lost or stolen. And it really doesn’t have to cost much, either. In fact, cover for a couple in their 30s for a two-week trip to Spain this August – with enhanced Covid-19 cover included – can cost as little as £15.63.

“It’s also dangerous to assume that any travel cover you already have – perhaps as part of a packaged bank account – will be adequate for your needs. So if you have such a policy, check the terms carefully. If it doesn’t cover the type of trip you’re taking or your chosen destination, or it has exclusions that concern you, look into getting a separate travel insurance policy.

“Industry figures show that 87% of travel insurance claims are accepted. That’s welcome reassurance for those looking to protect their plans as they prepare for their trip.”

For more information, visit: Best Covid-19 Travel Insurance Policies