The Advantage Travel Partnership has seen the first week on week drop in demand since the first vaccine announcement after the Canary Islands lost its UK travel corridor.
Those arriving in the UK from the Spanish archipelago have been subject to quarantine restrictions since 4am on Saturday after Thursday’s announcement.
However, major tour operators are continuing with their holiday programmes as the Foreign Office (FCDO) has not warned against all but essential travel, as it does to most non-travel corridor destinations.
Kelly Cookes, leisure director at travel agency consortium Advantage, said the removal of the Canaries had “dented” confidence among consumers.
She said: “Not surprisingly we saw a drop off in sales last week compared with the previous week for the first time since the [Pfizer] vaccine was announced.
“Agents’ time will have once again been taken up with dealing with current bookings rather than generating new business.
“The situation with the Canaries was also confusing as the FCDO has not mirrored the travel corridors list meaning that each operator has had to decide on their own policy. This will have dented consumer confidence for winter sun in particular.”
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