Travel firms confident they can bounce back in 2022

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Most people will go on holiday this year even if airline ticket prices go up, says Lee Thompson, the travel firm boss.

The need for human connection as we have been isolated for so long. The founder and owner of a London-based firm says that everyone is desperate to meet other people and have new experiences.

Group adventure holidays for solo travellers in their 30s and 40s are offered by the travel company. He says the firm has seen a massive surge in bookings in recent months, and that people are so desperate to get away that they won't mind paying more for their flights, if aviation fuel prices rise as a result of the sanctions against Russian oil exports.

Over the last couple of years we have gone from not being able to travel at all, to spending hundreds of pounds on Covid tests each time we want to leave the country.

I don't think the increases in flight prices will stop people from doing things they have been dreaming about.

Image source, Lee Thompson

The past two years have been difficult for independent firms in the travel industry, as they don't have the deep pockets of the multinationals. The holiday sector is going to recover according to those that we spoke to.

The business went into administration in November 2020 due to the lockdowns.

55 staff, big overheads, and no money came in as we were left with a big office in central London.

After re-mortgaging their home and paying back customers who had been owned money, a couple won back their firm after it was in administration for a few months.

The business is taking off again and we are on track to hit pre-pandemic levels by 2023. Booking on both sides of the Atlantic is booming, but Covid restrictions remain challenging, and we have had to become experts on them.

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Flavours Holidays is a travel firm that organizes classes in Italy and Spain.

She says that customers aren't concerned about rising costs of flights. It may cost them a bit more now, but they have the money to spend and want to go away.

Flavours did not run any Italian or Spanish trips from March 2020 to September 2020.

To secure an alternative revenue stream the firm started running online classes so that people from all around the world could learn how to paint or taste wine from the comfort of their own home. The firm held around 80 classes a month.

Image source, Lorne Blythe

It was a great way to keep a sense of community with our guests.

Ms Blyth says that her firm is getting back to the levels of 2019. After two years, it is clear that people want to travel again. The conversations are more positive with people accepting testing requirements and realizing that it is just part of travel.

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The owner of Gutsy Girls, which organizes group adventure holidays for women, says that most people want to go on overseas holidays again.

She was planning 70 trips a year before the Pandemic struck. She was in Norway in March 2020 when the country went into lock down.

Image source, Natalie Bannister

Guests were due to arrive in two days for a week of cross country ski and yoga, but they were turned away at the airport.

She had to shut up shop for five months and then offer a few trips in the later half of 2020.

For the previous two and a half years, my whole identity was in my business.

I'm excited to now run more trips to meet our community's demand, allowing more women to connect with each other and nature.

Image source, Gutsy Girl

Some people in the travel sector are cautious. Mike Bugsgang is a veteran industry expert and commentator.

The travel businesses that have survived the impact of a worldwide Pandemic are now facing more challenges.

The outbound market is likely to be impacted by the huge increase in the cost of living and inflationary food and drink prices. The indications are that the domestic market, with people sticking to affordable holidays and short breaks in the UK, is predicted to benefit most.

Running a travel business is always going to be a bit bumpy, says Ms Blythe. Whether it is a new variant of Covid, or something else, you always have to look for new ways to keep your community together.