Aviva Reveals: Two fifths of UK residents plan holidays before the end of the year!

Aviva urges holidaymakers to check travel insurance policies as half-term breaks are underway
More than half of holidays planned for this year are in the UK
More than a third of UK adults have already booked breaks for next year
Nearly two thirds of under-25s are planning to take a holiday this year

More than two fifths* of UK adults are planning a holiday before the end of the year, according to a new study from Aviva.

Data taken from the insurer’s upcoming How We Live report finds 43% of residents intend to take a break in the remaining months of 2021. Within this group, three fifths (58%**) plan to holiday within the UK, while 31% intend to go to Europe and 18% expect to go further afield.

Younger age groups appear keener to travel, with 62% of under 25s still intending to take a holiday this year. Those aged 25-44 are also more likely to be planning breaks than older age groups, potentially suggesting the upcoming half-term holiday period may be busy, particularly as many families missed out on summer breaks.

And while three quarters of people say that Covid has affected their attitudes to travelling, the desire to get away in 2022 remains strong.

More than a third of people (35%) of UK adults say they have booked a holiday for 2022 already. Of these travellers, 45%** intend to take “staycations” in the UK, closely followed by 42% of people booking European vacations for 2022. The passion for long-haul holidays has also returned, with 22% of this group reserving their places already for next year.

Sarah Applegate, Global Insights Lead for Aviva says: “There is clearly still a desire to get away from it all. Millions have missed out on holidays over the last two years, so now that travel options are opening up, people are keen to take advantage of relaxed rules.

“This is great news for holidaymakers, but we’d urge people to book and travel with caution – and to remember the importance of travel insurance.

“While many holidays now include Covid guarantees, it’s important that people understand the extent of their cover and any limitations. Even amongst travel insurance policies, the level of support varies and some will offer more comprehensive cover than others. Covid guarantees are not designed to act as a substitute for a full travel insurance product, so it is still important to have travel insurance in place.

“It’s vital people do their homework before they travel and we’d urge holidaymakers to purchase their travel insurance when they book their break to ensure they have cover in place from day one, in case the unexpected happens. People should also check details of their destination country on the FCDO website to find out travel advice, entry requirements and any information on quarantine rules on return to the UK.”

Travel insurance can also provide cover for holidays in the UK, although there may be certain criteria which need to be met. Aviva travel insurance requires that customers have pre-booked accommodation for two nights or more, in order to make a claim.

Aviva’s travel insurance policies also provide cover and reassurance for the following scenarios in relation to COVID-19:

Cover for cancellation if you are diagnosed or test positive for COVID-19
Cover for cancellation if you are advised to self-isolate via the NHS App or Track and Trace
Cover for cancellation due to lockdown restrictions in the UK, provided these restrictions were not in place at the time of booking your trip or purchasing your policy
Cover for medical treatment if you are diagnosed with COVID-19 while abroad
Cover for additional travel and accommodation costs if you unexpectedly must quarantine or self-isolate abroad due to catching COVID-19, or contact with someone who has tested positive while abroad. This does not include quarantining as an entry requirement at the time of departure.

More information on Aviva’s travel insurance policies can be found at https://www.aviva.co.uk/insurance/travel-insurance/