AMSTERDAM - The Dutch travel industry notices that the need for holidays is still great, but also that people are careful when booking. Travel providers are happy that the popular sun destinations in the winter season, Curaçao and the Canary Islands, are again labeled as relatively safe and have code yellow.
At the same time, they notice a great caution with bookings. “Most trips are booked last minute,” says tour operator Corendon. People then leave within two weeks of booking.
According to travel organizer TUI, "enthusiastic bookings are made for the destinations Curaçao and the Canary Islands". The travel provider only offers holidays in "safe areas", ie countries with code green or yellow. “If an area goes orange, we will no longer offer trips to that country and we will bring people back home. Incidentally, they can often finish their holiday.” People will receive a voucher for trips that have been booked and cannot continue because of code orange.
According to Corendon, the most popular destinations during the autumn holidays were Curaçao, Greece, Madeira and Sicily. “The fact that the Greek islands are now back from orange to yellow will make no difference. Because the season is over on those destinations. But that the Canary Islands, which were also on orange, have been given a code yellow, is good news. It is a popular sun destination in winter,” said Corendon's spokeswoman. Despite interest on the website for holidays, she expects people to continue to have a wait-and-see attitude this winter due to the varying travel advice.
The winter sports holiday is in jeopardy, now that Italy, France and large parts of Austria have code orange. The Outbreak Management Team (OMT) expects that in many places on winter sports holidays, such as in the queue at ski lifts, it is difficult to keep 1.5 meters away. These booked holidays may have to be canceled if negative travel advice does not change.