As lockdown restrictions ease across the UK, Brits are still hanging on to hopes of a summer holiday this year.
For the first time in months, people are hopeful of holidays abroad this summer, with a host of counties expected to be added to the government’s ‘green list’ if reports are to be believed.
Earlier this month, transport secretary Grant Shapps announced a “framework” for the resumption of overseas leisure travel, which included requiring all arrivals to take pre-departure and post-arrival coronavirus tests.
Post-arrival tests must be the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) type which cost about £120, he said.
This led to a furious backlash from the travel industry, which wants travellers returning from low-risk countries to be allowed to take lateral flow tests, which are cheaper and quicker.
We asked readers whether they would be willing to fork out the £120 per person to travel overseas or stick to a staycation in the UK this summer – and the answers on the BFP Facebook page were varied.
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Many said they would be happy to pay for the PCR test if they thought it was “safe and sensible” to travel abroad, while others said they would prefer to holiday in the UK and support local businesses.
Sinead Levien said: “I would be more than happy to pay if a) I thought it was sensible and safe to travel abroad b) Boris would give me a jab.
“As others have commented, vaccines seem to have stalled for those of us waiting patiently for our turn.
“I am starting to see more and more people much younger than me being vaccinated, how? Similar to the vaccine passport, 100 per cent in favour of this, once I have the vaccine I have been promised.”
Adam Standen wrote: “Only holiday in the UK anyway. Far too expensive to go abroad with children in school holidays even before Covid.”
Angela Andrews commented she had “no choice” but to go overseas as she has a home abroad but criticised the “ridiculous” cost of a PCR test.
She added: “After investing so much money into [the holiday home] we will have to try and go when possible. I think it is going to cost more than £120 at the end of the day though.
“You can get a test in Cyprus for about €40 to travel. It’s a ridiculous amount here and an absolute rip off.”
Czarmé Pooley said: “Going by the increase in campsite tariffs for the rest of this year, it’s going to cost an extra £120 to holiday here too.
“I don't begrudge it though, they do have a big shortfall to make up for. I’d rather the money went to businesses in the UK anyway.”
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While Kim Blackwell commented: “We go on holiday in the UK every year and looking forward to going at the end of May, my kids love caravan holidays and Butlins.
“We are going to Butlins and probably costs more than abroad but we love it and [have] done it for quite a few years.”
Graham Clarke felt staycations were “overpriced” and thought it would still be cheaper to go abroad, while Scarlett Dudley-Gritt wrote: “I spent £1,000 to stay in a caravan at Haven. It’s not about saving the money, I think it’s more about saving our economy.
“Let’s build our country up, and not spread or bring back Covid to here from somewhere else.”
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