Be Inspired
28 / Island getaways
Drop in the
ocean With the UK emerging tentatively from months of restrictions, island destinations near and far offer an attractive option for those that still want to keep their distance, says Charlotte Flach
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afety is a key consideration for post-pandemic travel when clients are choosing a holiday destination, explains Zeenat Gangee, Tourism Promotion Manager for Mauritius, with islands in particular proving popular because they are typically less crowded than mainland destinations. “People in the long-haul market have spent endless lockdowns in urban areas and have been looking forward to a getaway experience surrounded by nature in a safe environment,” she says. This perception of safety might be primarily because islands are more remote, adds Peter Brennan, CEO of tour operator Escape to Greece. Several Greek islands “have been able to contain cases of Covid much better than mainland resorts, both within the local population as well as visiting tourists,” he explains.
Island updates Many destinations are keen to welcome back UK travellers, even if they aren’t
yet on the Government’s ‘green list’. Currently in the amber category, the Canary Islands are hopeful they will soon be able to admit travellers from the UK. “The UK is our main market, with which we have a great affinity. We are prepared and ready to welcome visitors for a safe and enjoyable stay,” says José Juan Lorenzo, Managing Director of Tourism of The Canary Islands. Greek operators also have high hopes for reopening, says Brennan. “All of our Greek islands will be ready and open for tourism by the end of May. Greece was one of the only European countries to have successfully operated holidays for pretty much the whole season during the summer of 2020.” Although many islands in the Indian Ocean remain on the banned list of destinations, they are gearing up for a return to tourism, with Mauritius seeing increased interest for later in the year. Says Gangee: “Our message for reopening will be one of safety and quality that will
instil confidence among travellers.” Most Caribbean destinations remain on the amber list but islands such as Dominica are expecting to move to the green list in the coming weeks - the island has recorded no deaths and there are currently no cases of Covid either. Clients that have been vaccinated will be able to enter Malta from June 1 without the need for a test. Non-vaccinated travellers can enter but must present a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours of travel.
Short-haul demand It’s not just long-haul islands seeing increased interest, with the UK market continuing to be on clients’ radars. “We’ve seen strong interest in Jersey, with the Visit Jersey website reporting a 35% uplift in UK traffic on just one weekend following the border reopening announcement,” explains Amanda Burns, CEO at Visit Jersey. CityFlyer, Loganair and
sellingtravel.co.uk
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