Titan Travel expects to see a further boost to bookings later this month as consumer confidence rises and lockdown restrictions ease.
It has already seen rising numbers of bookings and enquiries in the wake of the prime minister’s roadmap announcement, with short-haul destinations predominant for 2021 and long-haul bouncing back in 2022.
The operator outlined the sales surge as it released its annual trends report, which also highlights how the pandemic has meant “flexibility and control over bookings are more important than ever for customers”.
Andy Squirrell, managing director, said: “With the UK’s Covid-19 vaccination programme progressing well and the government recently announcing its roadmap out of lockdown, there is every reason to be optimistic about future travel.
“Since the government’s announcement on February 22, we have been very pleased to see an uplift in sales calls as well as traffic to our website.
“We anticipate bookings to continue to rise as restrictions lift from March and recommend travellers looking to book a holiday do so with a trusted tour operator or travel agent where their holiday and money will be protected through policies like Titan’s Protection Promise.”
More: Titan Travel sees ‘vaccine confidence’ boosting 2022 sales
Top of Titan’s list for future travel, based on passenger volume, is Italy, followed by the US, Canada, South Africa and Greece.
The trends report said: “There is a noticeable rise in demand for short-haul adventures with many travellers looking to stay in Europe for 2021 before embarking on more intrepid travel plans in 2022.
“This increased demand for short-haul destinations has also brought with it shorter booking lead times.
“The traditional, longer window for booking holidays has decreased for 2021 departures due to Covid-19 with many travellers set to make late decisions about where and when they might like to go on holiday.
“We’re therefore predicting bookings for 2021 and beyond will rise from late March onwards once restrictions begin to ease.”
River cruising continues to gain in popularity, led by Nile cruises.
The full trends report will be available online from March 5.