Customers are flocking back on holiday but the travel industry remains cautious on cost of living crisis
(Picture: On the Beach)Online holiday retailer On the Beach has reported a boost of 322% in bookings in interim results as pandemic restrictions wind down across Europe.
The figure for the six months to the end of March was in comparison to the same period last year when coronavirus still blighted the travel industry landscape.
However, the company did sound a cautionary note that had only slightly raised by 6% on the first half of 2019 when restrictions across European holiday spots continued to batter the travel and tourism industry.
It also added that it was “currently unclear to what extent the cost of living crisis” would impact bookings.
On an upbeat note, Simon Cooper, CEO of On the Beach said it was “great to be back to trading” and that customers had started to flock back to sun-drenched destinations with a surge in holiday bookings for Turkey, Croatia, Greece and Cyprus.
Revenues for the half year to 31 March 2022 at On the Beach increased to £52.9 million, up from £4.4 million for the same period last year.
Cooper added: “Prices are really good at the minute. There is no doubt that the Eastern Med has performed better than the Western Med in the first half of the year, not least because there have been fewer restrictions in people traveling to Turkey, Greece or Cyprus.
“When you are talking about the Western Med, you are talking about Spain, The Canaries and Portugal for instance where some restrictions still existed, some through to this Saturday.”
Cooper added that problems at airports were being headed off by the company as it offered all bookings fast-track for holidaymakers that should be “less painful” for customers.
He said that airports were getting on top of the backlogs and resolving staff shortages and that he would expect that the experiences encountered by travellers would be “relatively pain free”.
