Europe Holiday Bookings Surge as EU Agrees on Vaccine Passport
As the global travel industry continues to struggle and overcome the stringent Covid-induced restrictions, intrepid vacationers have every reason to keep their heads high. There could be a bloc-wide vaccine passport scheme in the EU ahead of the busy summer holidays.
This is according to the German Chancellor Angela Merkel who said that all the 26 European Union member states had agreed to fully back it. According to the agreement, implementation could be over in three months.
Such good news couldn’t have arrived at a better time for the adventure-hungry tourists whose escapades had been halted by the Coronavirus. Summer holidays are a few months away, and with the Covid fatigue among tourists, the excitement of going on a European summer holiday is palpable already.
Still, travel restrictions may remain in place
The EU has been intensifying its Covid 19 vaccination drive even as it remains wary of possibilities of deadlier waves. Measures meant at easing travel restrictions across the bloc remain in limbo, thanks to new Covid 19 variants.
Equally coy about the resumption of free international travel in the summer is Priti Patel, the Home Secretary. According to him, summer could prove a little too soon for a holiday, owing to the erratic situation in the UK and across the EU.
But these travel restrictions notwithstanding, rolling out a single vaccine passport means that savvy vacationers could have a reason to start hunting for holiday destinations. Travel trials like PocDoc’s ‘fit to fly’ certificates at the Edinburgh Airport also signify the region’s tourists’ readiness as soon as the international borders open.
Massive travel bookings already taking place
Right now, every eager traveler is holding onto faith, hoping that UK premier Boris Johnson’s projections for a summer holiday from as early as May 17 come to fruition. Holiday bookings have been increasing tremendously, with EasyJet reporting a whopping 337% surge in ticket sales and a further 630% in holiday bookings.
It is clear, therefore, that maybe it isn’t too early to book a European post-Covid holiday. Greece is calling, much like the Swiss getaways, Spanish beaches, and several Asian and African vacation destinations.
About the Author
