Leading independent travel agency, Travel Counsellors, reports that 2021 new holiday bookings have now reached almost 80% of pre-pandemic levels (March - April 2019), and three times the number booked the same time last year.

Consumers remain confident that summer holidays both overseas and at home are on the cards, despite current confusion over the yet to be announced green, amber and red list countries to be unveiled next month. As customers bank on getting away this summer, Travel Counsellors top five selling destinations for summer travel currently are:

1.    Spain

2.    Greece

3.    UK

4.    USA

5.    UAE

 
Appearing third in the list of top selling destinations, Travel Counsellors is continuing to witness a spike in demand for the UK. A recent customer survey* showed that 80% of those questioned have already booked or were likely to book a UK staycation this year, and the company reports that nearly £5m in sales has been made on staycation bookings for 2021 to date. The company offers a large network of 1,500 travel professionals in the UK who can offer unrivalled local expertise and knowledge when it comes to booking closer to home.

The top five staycation destinations currently are:

1.    Cornwall & Isles of Scilly

2.    Devon

3.    Norfolk

4.    Lake District

5.    Isle of Wight

Customers are safe in the knowledge that they can leave all the research and planning to their Travel Counsellor. The recent customer survey showed that some 80% of respondents said that booking with someone they can trust and being assured of complete financial protection are their most important considerations when planning a trip, which demonstrates that the need for expert travel advice is more crucial than ever.  

Kirsten Hughes, Travel Counsellors’ UK Managing Director and Chief Commercial Officer, says: “This year we’ve seen UK staycations enter into our top five selling list for the first time – to date it is our third highest summer ’21 selling destination following Spain and Greece, with a huge amount of interest in UK domestic cruising.    

“With so much to consider, the value of placing travel plans in the hands of a trusted travel professional has never felt more important, and now more than ever customers require the personal interaction, experience and reassurance that our Travel Counsellors can offer throughout the whole experience – from booking to travel, to returning home safely.

“For those wanting to stay closer to home, we have Travel Counsellors located all around the country to provide unrivalled local knowledge. We have developed our UK product and that coupled with our insider tips from the best places to eat to local walks and hidden gems is proving incredibly popular with customers,” Kirsten adds.