Since last week, relaxation of travel advice has been announced during the press conference of outgoing Prime Minister Mark Rutte. Last Saturday several countries went from code orange to code yellow and green. I wondered if this would entail a rush of bookings, I asked this question to the travel company TUI and Corendon. Travel organization TUI immediately saw an increase in the number of bookings via the website but also at the TUI travel agencies after last week's press conference, since then many bookings have been made. Most short-term demand is holidays to Spain, especially the Canary Islands. That is why they will be using extra flights to Gran Canaria and Tenerife this weekend. Next week additional flights are also planned to the Balearic Islands: Ibiza and Mallorca and to Aruba and Curaçao. TUI will fly to the Antilles five times a week from next week. Most bookings are now made for the months of May June and for the summer holidays. At the moment, according to TUI, prices are still comparable to previous summers.
“Immediately after last week's press conference announcing the relaxation of travel advice, we noticed an increase in bookings. And since then, many bookings have been made, online through our website but also at our TUI travel agencies. Most demand in the short term is for Spain, especially the Canary Islands; this weekend we will be using extra flights to Gran Canaria and Tenerife. The following week, flights are also added to the Balearic Islands: Mallorca and Ibiza. And not to forget; Curaçao and Aruba ".
However, they indicate that prices may rise with increasing demand, because fewer holidays will be available than in previous years. Travelers from, for example, Belgium and Germany are also looking for holidays in these countries. TUI also offers customers a service if a holiday cannot take place due to corona. At TUI, customers can change the destination or travel date free of charge, if necessary, it can be canceled and in that case the customer will not receive a voucher but his money back. They also ensure that you are taken to the Netherlands if a destination changes to orange. This provides certainties TUI for a package tour.
Travel organization Corendon informs us that since the press conference it has been busy every day with regard to bookings. Most bookings with them are to Greece and Curaçao. Most bookings made with Corendon are for the summer holidays, with July being the most popular month. According to Corendon, these are almost all new bookings, so few voucher bookings. They indicate that the prices are still very attractive, but that the prices for the school holidays can quickly rise in the event of shortages. Corendon makes every effort to constantly have sufficient hotel rooms available, especially as long as few destinations can be offered.
“It has been busy every day in terms of bookings since the press conference. The vast majority of bookings are made to destinations that have gone 'yellow', with Greece and Curaçao as the outliers. And most bookings are for the summer holidays, with July being the most popular month now. Until recently that was August. Consumers therefore dare to book again for the start of the school holidays. They are almost all new bookings, so few voucher bookings ”.