Two in five people feel desperate to travel overseas again, with Spain the most popular destination they hope to book this year, new research by Heathrow reveals.
Nearly half of Britons feel optimistic about the future of travel, with 37% now feeling safe to go abroad due to Covid vaccinations.
The most popular trips people are keen to book first include a beach holiday (40%), a trip to the wilderness (36%) and an adventure holiday (22%).
The pandemic has made people more appreciative of travel, with two in five (40%) saying it is more important to them now compared to before the pandemic.
More: Spain accounts for one in three Travel Counsellors bookings
Foreign Office relaxes travel advice for US, Spain, France, Greece
More than a third (35%) said they have struggled to switch off from work in the last year, and nearly two thirds (63%) felt the negative impacts of staying at home on their mental health.
Respondents agreed that this is usually helped by being able to go abroad, with three quarters saying that holidays help them to take a break from the stresses of life and a similar proportion instantly feeling the positive effects on their mental health when on holiday.
A third said reuniting with friends and family is the driving force behind wanting to travel again.
The results were issued as the London hub teamed up with more than ten industry partners including British Airways and Virgin Atlantic to make thousands of pounds worth of free flights and experiences available to passengers travelling from the airport.
The ‘Come Fly Again’ initiative aims to help reunite those in the UK with their family and friends around the world.
It follows the further easing of government travel restrictions for Britons, who no longer need to quarantine on their return to the UK if they are fully vaccinated and travelling from certain destinations.
Winners of ‘Come Fly Again’ flights and experiences will have up to six months to redeem their packages.
The competition will run until November 29. Winners will be selected at three key occasions – summer, October half-term and Christmas.
Heathrow chief operating officer Ross Baker said: “As we celebrate 75 years of connecting the public to the world of travel, we’re delighted to be welcoming more passengers back to Heathrow.
“Now, more than ever, it’s important that we help to reconnect friends, family and loved ones across the globe, so we’re happy to be able to work with our incredible airport partners to make the experience more special after what has been such a difficult year, for so many.”
More: Spain accounts for one in three Travel Counsellors bookings
Foreign Office relaxes travel advice for US, Spain, France, Greece