Concern about the rate of Covid-19 in a destination is more likely to deter UK consumers from travelling on holiday than the risk of quarantine or of a destination changing from green to amber while on holiday, according to research for Travel Weekly.
The research, conducted last month among almost 1,300 UK adults, found more than half (54%) rated ‘high levels of Covid-19 in a destination’ their biggest concern when considering a holiday or short break.
However, there was considerable age variation with just 30% of 16-24-year-olds rating infection levels as a concern compared with 70% of those aged 55 and over and 58% in the 45-54 age range.
Being stranded abroad due to Covid restrictions changing was the second-greatest concern, cited by 45%, with almost as many (43%) worried about being required to quarantine in a destination should a Covid test prove positive.
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These rates of concern also varied widely by age, with just 22% of 16-24-year-olds concerned about quarantine abroad, rising to 48% among those aged 45-54 and 65% among those of 65 and above.
Two in five respondents (39%) were concerned about being required to quarantine on return to the UK, ranging from 22% among those aged 16-24 to 48% among 45-64-year-olds and 52% among those 65 and over.
Perhaps surprisingly, only a third (34%) of respondents showed concern about the classification of a country changing from green to amber while they were away. However, the survey was undertaken ahead of the restart of international travel on May 17 and almost a month before the removal of Portugal from the green list.
Barely one in 10 respondents (9%) said they had no concerns about travelling on holiday. More than one-third (35%) of respondents were concerned about restrictions on facilities or activities in destinations.
However, a higher proportion (43%) were concerned whether health measures, such as wearing face masks, would be followed.
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