The lifting of “unnecessary and unwelcome” government travel curbs means that almost half of Jet2holidays customers are more likely to book a foreign break.
When asked ‘what direct impact has this announcement had on your likelihood to book an overseas holiday?’ 47% of respondents answered that they will now book because of this.
Additionally, a weekly tracker of customer confidence about travel revealed a jump in confidence following the relaxation of restrictions.
More than half (56%) of respondents say they feel confident about travelling – the highest this figure has been since October 2021. It also represents a jump of more than ten percentage points from two weeks ago, when the figure stood at 44%.
Sales data shows that this increased confidence has translated into bookings.
The operator claimed a 150% jump in bookings following the government’s announcement, with sales via independent agents to destinations such as Greece, Turkey, mainland Spain, Canary and Balearic islands, Malta and Portugal.
“This shows demand returning to pre-pandemic levels, with no sign of this slowing down during what is traditionally a very popular time for booking holidays,” the company said.
Chief executive Steve Heapy said: “January is traditionally a very important month for getting that much-needed holiday booked in, so this return in customer confidence comes at the right time for the travel industry and for our independent travel agency partners.
“After so much uncertainty, the relaxation of travel restrictions has unleashed the pent-up demand from customers who just want to enjoy some time together with their loved ones, whether that is in the sunshine or on a city break.”
He added: “It is clear that the removal of unnecessary and unwelcome restrictions is exactly what customers wanted. We have been working hard to support our independent travel agency partners so that they can capitalise on this demand, and we know our Travel Made Simple and window campaigns have had a very positive impact.
“With another travel update due next week, we look forward to more good news so that we can help our independent travel agency partners grow bookings even further.”