In a survey from Tryg Forsikring, 3 out of 10 answer that planned holidays abroad for next year have been changed due to the situation with the coronavirus.
Most people hope that the corona situation will calm down towards the summer, and that they can travel abroad again without restrictions. Terje Berge, commercial director of the web portal Finn Reise, believes this will lead to very large travel activity among Norwegians.
– Terje Berge is commercial director for travel at Finn. Photo: Aage Aune / TV 2
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– I think we will get the travel bonanza of the century if the restrictions disappear. Many have saved money during the pandemic, and are very eager to travel.
Vings country manager Marie-Anne Zachrisson believes in the same effect.
– We know that all surveys show that the desire to travel is great and that Norwegians dream of traveling abroad on holiday. We got the best test in September when the then Minister of Justice wished everyone a “good trip” – when it really “boomed” in sales, she says.
She thinks something like this could happen in the new year. Many have already booked a trip during the summer holidays.
– If booster doses are in place in the adult population and the infection in general decreases, then I absolutely believe that we can experience it again soon. Normally, January is a month where many people plan their summer vacation with family and friends. Many who did not travel in the summer of 2020 or 2021 have already booked their holiday, she continues.
Comes with tips
Berge in Finn Reise comes with a tip for Norwegians who are planning a trip abroad this summer.
– The prices that are out there are also quite reasonable. Now that you can get flexible cancellations, it may be worth checking the summer already now. You have little to lose by holding off already now.
He says that Norwegians are traditional when choosing their destinations, and predicts that the Norwegian holiday winners Spain, Greece and Croatia will be at the top of the sales lists for the summer holidays.
Fewer orders abroad
The travel companies also notice that high infection rates and new restrictions have affected Norwegians’ desire to travel abroad in the months ahead.
– We see that the proportion who order to Norway versus abroad is rising. This is the same thing we saw at the beginning of the pandemic. Then 90 percent of the orders went to Norway. The difference is not as big as in the beginning, but there is a significant amount that goes to Norway now.
He says that many people book cabins and holiday homes, instead of going abroad.
– We have had many orders for holiday homes and cabins for Christmas and New Year at the major destinations such as Trysil, Hemsedal and Geilo. It is a big change for Norwegian holidays during this period.
But one classic for Norwegians, there are still many who travel to, even with restrictions.
– We still see a lot of trips to the Canary Islands and Spain. There are many who have booked a long way ahead, and there are few who have canceled. There are surprisingly few who have canceled the heat in Spain this winter.
Zachrisson sees the same in Ving.
– Positive: Anne-Marie Zachrisson and Ving. Photo: Private
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– When infection rates increased both in Norway and in Europe in the weeks before Christmas, it put a damper on sales with a short time to leave. The Christmas and New Year weekends are high season for us who send Norwegians on holiday to sun and heat. The most popular departure dates sold well already a year ago. The Canary Islands (Gran Canaria and Tenerife) and Cape Verde are our biggest destinations during the winter season, she says.
The United States and the United Kingdom remain popular
Even with very high infection rates, both the USA and the UK are high on the lists among Norwegians’ favorite destinations.
In the United States, the recommended isolation time for asymptomatic coronary heart disease has now been changed five days. For the last five days, you have to wear a mask around people. International travelers to the United States must prove that they have been fully vaccinated and have taken a negative coronal test within one day before departure.
On Finn’s pages, the United States is a popular destination.
– When the USA said they would open up in November, the USA went up on our top list. Since then, there has been no significant change, says Berge in Finn reise.
He is also surprised at how many people travel across the North Sea to the UK.
– There are surprisingly many trips to London, even with everything that happens there. Many people book there, and there are many who also went there for Christmas. We see a lot of football trips, says Berge.
I Great Britain the isolation time is changed to seven days, before you can test yourself with two negative tests. Before leaving for the UK, you must take a negative test, submit an entry form, and take a PCR test within two days of arriving in the country. Then you are in isolation until you test negative.
Ving sends many football supporters to the UK. Zachrisson says that they work hard to make travelers feel safe.
– A lot of good work has been done to ensure that our guests to the UK have received help with vaccine and test info to be able to experience their favorite team play.
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