Thunderous applause and cheers from travel agents, tour operators and passengers alike were heard across the UK last Thursday evening. It wasn’t for the NHS workers this time but for the fact that the government finally removed the quarantine requirements for both the Canary Islands and the Maldives, resulting in a deluge of last-minute enquiries by folk desperate to escape the misery of the UK for half term and beyond.
It was truly heartening to experience the release of pent up demand for travel, and provide a much needed boost of optimism for the future of our industry.
The reception to The Maldives news was dampened slightly by the realisation that passengers will need to fly direct to and from the UK and avoid transit via the likes of Dubai or Doha. British Airways is currently the only airline with a direct service but it’s not daily and the high demand saw prices tripling within hours of the announcement. I’m happy to report that I managed to secure some much-needed light at the end of the tunnel for a few lucky clients who will be departing over the coming weeks.
If you’d like a taster of my personal experiences and recommendations in the Maldives, you can find my two pennies’ worth below, along with a client blog from Ferhin and Haseeb who managed to get away for a post-lockdown honeymoon in the Maldives and Dubai.
We can only wait patiently and see what the UK’s winter months bring. Having had a brief glimpse of what demand looks like when it becomes a little easier to travel, I remain the eternal optimist for 2021 and beyond.
Thanks for your continued support. Stay safe and I wish everybody a positive month ahead.
Jo x