In line with good news about quarantine exemptions and infection rates, the travel companies have noticed that more and more people dare to book a holiday abroad this summer.
At the same time, it is still a Norwegian holiday that applies to most people during the summer holidays. It is only later in the year that Norwegians really plan to travel abroad again.
– We clearly see that Norwegians are increasingly booking travel, but it is not until September that they book abroad. Our figures correspond with what industry colleagues see, says commercial director Terje Berge in Finn Reise.
In a survey YouGov has conducted for Danske Bank, one in four answers that they plan to go on a weekend trip this autumn.
– After a long year of pandemic and almost zero opportunities for trips abroad, Norwegians are more eager to travel than ever, says consumer economist Thea Olsen at Danske Bank.
See the same trend
Nora Aspengren, Head of Communications at TUI Norway, confirms that the autumn points out as the time when Norwegians will once again travel abroad.
– Head of Communications at TUI Norway, Nora Aspengren. Photo: TUI
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– Yes, it is the strongest trend we have seen until now – autumn and winter are what most people order. The school holidays such as autumn holidays and Christmas holidays are especially popular, says Aspengren.
At Apollo, too, they see the same trend.
– We definitely experience that many people plan a trip abroad in the autumn. It is mainly the August and September trips that go away the fastest, but July is also starting to pick up. In the autumn, it is mainly Greece and the Canary Islands that we secure a trip to, says communications manager Beatriz Rivera in Apollo.
Country Manager Marie-Anne Zachrisson in Ving Norge says that already in January they saw that interest in the autumn holidays was high.
– As spring and summer pass with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ travel advice, this trend intensifies. More customers choose to travel in late summer and beyond autumn and winter. When we arrive later in October, we will move the flight from the Mediterranean to the Canary Islands. Gran Canaria in particular is Norway’s favorite, says Zachrisson.
Sudden change
In recent weeks, Finn Reise has experienced an increase in bookings by plane, but domestic travel is still the most popular.
A graph that illustrates whether Norwegians book domestic trips or trips abroad through Finn Reise, clearly shows that Norwegians book domestically this summer.
– ABROAD OR DOMESTIC? The red bars show the proportion of domestic trips booked with Finn Reise in the various months, while the blue bars show the proportion of foreign trips. The diagram shows how the proportion of trips abroad clearly picks up from September onwards. Source: Find Travel
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In the chart, however, there is an abrupt change in September, where the proportion ordering abroad increases drastically. The development continues until November, when as much as 91 per cent of the trips booked with Finn Reise are abroad. In comparison, only 10 percent of trips abroad are in July.
If you are going to book a trip now, Olsen reminds you that you must remember travel insurance. Although the government has eased many rules, there are still traps you can fall into.
– One thing we have really experienced in the last year is how fast a situation can turn around. Few of us have been traveling abroad for a long time, and a strong recommendation is to remember to check your travel insurance. It can cost huge amounts to be admitted to a hospital abroad if you do not have insurance, Olsen warns.
Residence
Many travel insurance agreements will depend on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ (UD) travel advice, so you should examine the rules carefully before booking.
– For example, we see in several players that the purchase of travel to an area that is red when the booking is made, is not covered by the travel insurance if cancellation occurs as a result of the corona situation. Familiarize yourself well with travel insurance and look specifically at the requirements set in connection with the corona, Olsen encourages.
– Consumer economist Thea Olsen at Danske Bank. Photo: Daniel Tengs / Tengsphoto
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In Danske Bank’s survey, 21 per cent answer that they have received better advice during the pandemic, and more than half of these that this is due to less travel spending. In order for the next trip not to be a money drain, Olsen recommends setting up a budget.
– It is easy to spend more money than you have when traveling. Everyday life comes quickly after the holidays, and bills must be paid. It is not a good feeling to start everyday life in the red, says Olsen.
If the big travel boom really occurs, the prices of hotels and other accommodation can increase. If you are in a situation where the desire to travel is great, it is easy to get stressed by the situation and book an overpriced hotel room.
– Investigate possibilities for renting, for example, an apartment from private individuals. There are several serious rental players in the market. If there are several people traveling together, this can also constitute a significant price difference compared to what it would cost to stay in a hotel, Olsen says.
Car rental
Another expense item that can quickly become big when you are on vacation is food.
– If you rent an apartment, you have the opportunity to cook yourself where you live. Then the cost of the food will probably also be reduced, says Olsen.
On trips abroad, there are also many who rent a car. Then it is easy to accept additional insurance with the car rental operator.
– Liability insurance is mandatory, and mostly included in the car rental. The hull insurance, on the other hand, can be covered by the travel insurance you already have. So – find out what your travel insurance covers if you are renting a car, Olsen says.
Zachrisson says Ving immediately saw greater activity on the website when news came recently about quarantine exemptions for vaccinated people. She reminds that one must still pay close attention to the Norwegian authorities’ recommendations.
– When we know more about how the Norwegian corona certificate will work together with the EU’s recommendations, it opens up opportunities to travel more easily in Europe, says Zachrisson.
– Know your rights
Aspengren believes there is little risk associated with booking a package tour now, but encourages everyone to be prepared for quick changes.
– Make sure you know your rights and what happens if something is canceled, travel advice is changed and so on, says Aspengren, who adds that TUI now has the most flexible booking conditions they have ever had.
Rivera recommends those who want to book a holiday abroad to go for a traditional package tour, as you are then guaranteed by the Package Travel Act.
– Apollo’s Head of Communications, Beatriz Rivera. Photo: Johnny Syversen
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– Package tour operators such as Apollo always relate to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ travel advice, which means that we only fly to yellow and green countries. In other words, there is no financial risk associated with booking the trip already now – because should the travel advice still apply at the departure date or the country be red, we automatically cancel the flight and the customer gets their money back within seven days, Rivera says.
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