Agents remain hopeful of a meaningful turn-of-year peak period despite plummeting holiday sales following the reintroduction of pre-departure tests.
The restrictions, brought back amid rising fears over the Omicron variant, have led to a sustained drop in enquiries and bookings.
Blue Bay Travel chief executive Alistair Rowland said: “Right now, nobody is booking anything, and that will be the case until the rules have changed.”
Transport secretary Grant Shapps confirmed the restrictions, which also include PCR tests on arrival, will be reviewed in the first week of January.
Miles Morgan Travel chairman Miles Morgan said easing the restrictions “would make a massive difference”, adding: “We’ve seen a significant slowdown. Every time the government opens its mouth, sales fall, but everyone still wants to travel.”
The trade continued to report more amendments than cancellations to existing bookings.
“We’re seeing more clients looking to continue with their travel plans where they can,” said Premier Travel director Paul Waters, who said the group’s sales last week were just over 35% of the same period in 2019. He predicted “January will start slower than we’d initially thought”.
Bookings to destinations with new restrictions, such as Spain and Norway, have been worst hit, said Kelly Cookes, leisure director at The Advantage Travel Partnership.
Agents are continuing with plans for peaks despite the hit to immediate sales. Rowland said: “Once we’re past Christmas, people will start to look at summer 2022 and beyond. I do still see a peak [season].”
Morgan, who is planning a campaign including regional TV ads, said: “It’s important we’re on TV as a positive signal about travel.” He said the government’s decision to bring forward booster jabs was a “significant good bit of news” and would give consumers confidence to book sooner.
Althams Travel managing director Sandra McAllister predicted a “fairly buoyant” January but expects sales to reach only 60%-70% of 2019 levels.
“It will depend on the restrictions,” she said. “We’ve not changed our plans for peaks and will continue with full staffing.”
Cookes said Advantage was continuing its central campaign as most members “don’t have the funds” to run their own.
A spokeswoman for The Travel Network Group said it was important members were given suppliers’ latest product updates and flexible booking terms even if the peaks “move slightly to February”.