I apologise, it has been 8 weeks since my last travel update and to be honest I had just run out of puff!
18 months without a break, ensuring our clients are looked after and a Government discouraging travel made me feel like I had nothing new to say. However, a business cannot continue to supports it’s clients like this, so now that we have had some exciting new about overseas travel, I thought it an appropriate time to re-start my thoughts on a past time that is so important to us all – HOLIDAYS.
The last month has seen more of our clients travel or book ahead for next year. Without a shadow of doubt our cruise clients are realising that to get the best availability booking now is a must and the same could be said for many of the holidays that we offer. With 2020 and 2021 written off, the pent up demand for next year is massive.
A lot of client bookings to Europe have been made late in the day, as customers wait to see if destinations remained on the Green or Amber list allowing safer and easier travel. This has also dovetailed with easier and cheaper testing procedures.
Travel insurance was also seen as a barrier to travel but I am pleased to announce we have introduced a comprehensive travel policy covering many Covid-19 concerns, full details on the link below.
Paul Harrison, a regular client to the Wickford office, sums up his experience perfectly
“There was a little faffing about paperwork, tests and online forms etc, but taken as a whole it was more than worthwhile and I am delighted we went ahead with the holiday”
I spent a week in the UK with my family renting a house in Thornham, a gentle village in North Norfolk. It had been a while since I enjoyed a UK based holiday and loved the fantastic beaches, a visit to Sandringham, and had the opportunity to sample some locally caught fish and a chance to relax. I have to say definitely book a UK break, and it is worth asking my team if they can help, however, in my opinion it doesn’t beat the excitement of enjoying new cultural experiences and of course the lifestyle that sunshine offers. In a couple of weeks we will have a new website highlighting a lot of holiday ideas we do best.
So, the big news yesterday, was the relaxing of Government restrictions which in simple terms means you can either travel or not and less testing. Off the Red list comes the Maldives, Turkey, Oman and Sri Lanka and these join the Amber list countries in a new open status.
You will still need to talk to us about entry requirements to the country you are visiting but coming home will become easier. From the 4th October, no test to return to the UK and gone is the worry about being trapped overseas. Also, a change from the more expensive PCR to a Lateral Flow test at 2 days later in October, which is considerably cheaper and easier. My team will obviously have all the details you need.
Hopefully this new found confidence in travel will spark a travel boom and reacting to this I can confirm that our Wickford and Thorpe Bay offices will be open from 09:30 to 16:30, 6 days a week from Monday, 20th September. For our Upminster clients, Nicole, Jenny and Trevor will be either working from one of these offices or answering calls on the old telephone number 01708 224000.
We have waited 18 months to start on this road back to normality, my team are so excited to be back on a more consistent basis and we look forward to catching up with you soon.
Happy travelling
Ian Prior
Managing Director
