Sheffield travel agent sees rise in bookings and enquiries about far-flung trips as roadmap offers hope of foreign holidays

Paul Rushby, director of independent firm Direct Travel in Crosspool, said people had been asking about trips to far-flung destinations including the Caribbean and the Far East.

A review into international travel is expected to be published on April 12 before holidays abroad can resume, which will happen no earlier than May 17 according to the official roadmap.

Currently, non-essential journeys are banned, and breaks in the UK won’t be allowed before April 12 either.

“Without doubt it is great to have clarity, and a defined plan,” said Paul. “Businesses need clarity to be able to plan ahead.”

He said the dates announced on Monday by Prime Minister Boris Johnson were ‘probably as good as we could have hoped, with albeit provisional dates and the proviso that the data must continue to follow a positive path’.

“This week we have already seen an upturn in enquiries and bookings,” said Paul. “Although not a ‘normal’ February, it’s still a definite step forward, and we will be reviewing staffing levels accordingly.

“Having been established for 25 years, we are very fortunate to have both an exceptional team and a very loyal client base, and have already had many messages of support and promises of future bookings.

“We have operated as an ‘office’ throughout lockdown, but very much look forward to opening our shop to the public in April.”

He added: “We are getting enquiries, mainly for later in 2021, for the Caribbean, cruises and the Far East – Thailand, Vietnam and Japan.

“I think Europe and summer will kick in a little later once we see that all the data is still showing positive news, and we get a bit more clarity from the European countries as to their restrictions etc regarding Covid.”

Boris Johnson has said the use of ‘vaccine passports’ for global travel looks likely, telling Sky News: “There's no question that's where a lot of people, a lot of countries will be going. It's going to come on the international stage whatever."

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