Summer holidays abroad?

[TheRedBalloon]

I've just been reading that various Sage members have said international travel is unlikely this Summer.
We booked our holiday for the end of July to the Canaries (booked it last Summer.) Just wondering has anyone else booked for abroad and still expects to go, or is it more likely to be cancelled? DH and I have both had our first jabs and will have had both in May/June. We booked through TUI so I know we'll get a refund but the thought of going away has kept me going through lockdown!

(I know this is trivial compared with the illnesses / deaths due to the pandemic)

We've got one booked for the middle of July and one for end of October. Both moved from last year.
I'm not hopeful for the July one but hopefully by October we can go.
Sick and tired of disappointment now. Just want a holiday and a change of scenery.

I hope they don't let us, tbh. Holidays abroad are great...

Not everyone who travels is going on holiday.
I would like to be able to see my children, grand-children and MIL.
It's been over a year now.

@RoseWineTime

I’m booked to go to Crete in the middle of august. There’s nearly 5 months between now snd then so hopefully things will be a lot better by then 🤞🤞🤞

We've got Crete booked for August too. I'm cautiously optimistic that we'll go 😊

There’s many reasons I would love to be able to go abroad as soon as possible, not just for sunshine. But I hope that overseas travel is not opened up too early. I don’t think it’s dependent on the UK situation but on how other countries are faring with cases and vaccines. I’m definitely not planning or booking anything yet, just dreaming.

Well - ONE scientist who happens to be a member of SAGE has said he doesn't think Brits should go abroad this summer.
He's right in the sense, with a European 3rd wave in full swing, it will present a big risk to the UK, but whether or not the government chooses to act is another question. Personally I can't see it - they've a history of following advice 2-3 months too late when hindsight shows them how daft they were to ignore it in the first place.

So my bet is that hols this summer are on and around September time the gov suddenly start imposing restrictions AFTER the damage has been done.

DH is raring to go (holiday and family abroad); I don't think it's a good idea. We're still in the middle (god willing later middle/tail) of a pandemic. I don't feel comfortable getting onto a flight. I don't buy/fully understand the "travel corridors" thing - it feels like the equivalent of sticking tape on the floor at 2m intervals and declaring somewhere covid safe. I wouldn't enjoy my holiday worrying that by the time I'm due to return there might be a new variant ID'ed where I am, with a mandatory quarantine on return. It all just doesn't feel worth it.

Wait and see that’s everything we can do
And yes I think the travel abroad plan will be mentioned in April

We've got a holiday booked to the canaries too. Booked June 2019 for July 2020, last year we moved it to July 2021. Tbh we are hoping TUI will let us move it to next year, we don't really want to go this year with things as they are. At the moment they are only letting you change the dates for free if departing up to 30th June, or if you booked after a certain date.

The risk of bringing back variants is too high IMO. We'll be going on holiday in the UK this summer.

It’s one scientist that feeds into SAGE. I wouldn’t bet the govmt will listen to one scientist or indeed several of them.. 🙈

I think holiday will happen. They did last year 🤷🏼‍♀️ I had a lovely trip to Tenerife, outdoor dining is so much nicer in a hot country!

Please tell me no one here was foolish enough to book a trip abroad for this year? Europe’s third wave has started and by the time that’s calming down ours will just be starting up too. Although by summer we should have more data on the strength of the vaccines and how effective they are in preparation for the fourth wave in the late autumn early winter.

Not without quarantine on return.

@Thewiseoneincognito

Please tell me no one here was foolish enough to book a trip abroad for this year? Europe’s third wave has started and by the time that’s calming down ours will just be starting up too. Although by summer we should have more data on the strength of the vaccines and how effective they are in preparation for the fourth wave in the late autumn early winter.

Me me!!

I was foolish enough!

We’ve booked for August but don’t really expect to go!
As for when we can travel again, once we’ve got a new vaccine to tackle the South African and Brazilian variant, those will be dealt with. Once the rest of the countries you want to visit have vaccinated, that will be dealt with.
I’m very hopeful for winter this year and definitely next summer

God I'm sick of saying this but all this who are saying they hope we're not allowed to travel until 2022, what about all of those people who rely on the tourism industry for their livelihood? There will be no airlines or tour operators left if we have yet another year of restrictions.

Holidays were allowed under certain rules last summer. I can't imagine it wouldn't be the same this summer with our vaccine programme going so well. Granted there might be restrictions and certain countries which are not allowed.

Honestly I think some people are loving all of the gloom. I have two foreign holidays booked for this year and I will 100% be going if I can.

I moved my holiday to July this year. I don't even think we are going to get to UK holiday resorts because of the cost and that most places are booked. Its really shit and I'm quite depressed about it. Spains infection rate is quite low at the moment.
At the end of the day its completely unavoidable but it still sucks.

@Thewiseoneincognito

Please tell me no one here was foolish enough to book a trip abroad for this year? Europe’s third wave has started and by the time that’s calming down ours will just be starting up too. Although by summer we should have more data on the strength of the vaccines and how effective they are in preparation for the fourth wave in the late autumn early winter.

Im! Not one but 2 holidays and I’ll go. Nice to meet you

@PradaBallbag can’t agree enough with you. Holidays abroad have been quite difficult and yet we are seeing the waves in this country. Seems like the virus doesn’t move only by going abroad ... maybe what happens in this country also helps! But we’re the naughty ones for wanting to go abroad

Actually, worldometers.info says Spain is also creeping up.

@Northernsoullover

Actually, worldometers.info says Spain is also creeping up.

Spain is reopening. They had several rules (don’t leave your area , restaurants closed , don’t meet with people from outside your house) and now they’re allowing several of those things hence it’s normal the virus to go up

I booked one in January for July. I am totally foolish. And optimistic. And chucked in to work without covid protection every day, so tend to think fuck it.

@Thewiseoneincognito

Please tell me no one here was foolish enough to book a trip abroad for this year? Europe’s third wave has started and by the time that’s calming down ours will just be starting up too. Although by summer we should have more data on the strength of the vaccines and how effective they are in preparation for the fourth wave in the late autumn early winter.

I've booked 2 for this year.

And I'm not going to be made to feel bad for wanting to have something to look forward, so you and anyone else who wants to have a pop may as well save the wear on your keyboards 😊

Can anyone tell me what the long term answer to international travel is? Surely there will always be new variants or new viruses

Yes, there will always be variants and new viruses coming along - so basically, they either cut the endless panic or accept that there'll be millions more unemployed

Considering travel was possible last summer without a vaccine I'm not expecting a major problem this year, though some countries may be more open than others

I've booked Cornwall for this year but I can't really get excited about it. I would much prefer to go somewhere warm or to my partners home country. If we can travel abroad later this year we'll go like a shot.

We’re supposed to go to Florida (carried over from last summer). Initially I thought there was no chance but now I actually think there’s more chance of that happening than going to Europe as Florida’s vaccine rollout is good. Who knows?