ABTA has described today as a ‘landmark’ as all COVID-19 travel restrictions are dropped and confidence is up among consumers.

New research from ABTA reveals 57% of people have a holiday abroad booked for the next 12 months, up from 44% in October 2021.

These figures are close to levels seen before the pandemic, and ABTA says ‘it’s clear that confidence to travel is on the rise as restrictions ease’.

Spain, France, Italy, Greece and Turkey remain firm favourites for UK holidaymakers but ABTA’s analysis of people’s travel intentions this year – compared to pre-pandemic, reveals other destinations are climbing up the popularity list.

When comparing people’s travel intentions from 2019 to this year, the number of people planning to travel to Egypt is up by 87%, followed by Malta (+51%), the United Arab Emirates (+31%), Portugal (+30%) and Mexico (+26%).

ABTA data show people are now 39% more likely to book with a travel professional than before the pandemic, primarily for their guidance with COVID-19 travel requirements (47%), and broader travel expertise (40%).

ABTA Chief Executive Mark Tanzer said: “It is a landmark day for holidaymakers and the travel industry. From now on people can enjoy their holiday up to the last minute without having to think about any paperwork or tests on their return to the UK.

“While we’re not yet back to pre-pandemic levels, our research clearly shows that consumer confidence is returning, and things are looking up for the industry.”