The sales of summer holidays have surged in the last 24 hours according to the UK’s biggest tour operator thanks to Boris Johnson outlining the Coronaviurus lockdown exit strategy.
TUI reported a 500% increase in holiday sales in the last 24 hours prompted by the plans to ease restrictions and online holiday company Thomas Cook said it has seen traffic jump by over 100%.
Summer destinations of Greece, Turkey and Spain are proving the most popular but the government has not yet confirmed when travel restrictions will be lifted for these countries.
A decision on when and how international travel restrictions are lifted is likely to be set out in April but the earliest date for easing is mid-May.
Will I get my money back if restrictions aren’t lifted?
The answer this depends on how you booked.
If you book a summer holiday through a package holiday company such as Tui, Thomas Cook or Jet2 Holidays that includes flights and accommodation then you are protected in the event the holiday doesn’t go ahead through ABTA Bonding.
In addition, most holiday companies are offering their own guarantees to be able to change your holiday free of charge or get a refund if the one you want cant go ahead.
If you booked your flights and accommodation separately then the chances are you won’t be covered. If for example, the flights don’t operate then you would be entitled to a refund from the airline but the accommodation is under no obligation to refund you.
So the advice is simple, if you plan to book a summer holiday later this year then for peace of mind, book a package through a tour operator.
