Holidays: Looking to the future

Cavan Travel & Virginia Travel

Top spots for 2022 holidaymakers

- Eoghan Corry -

What will travel look like in 2022? Not like it used to, but close. It will be traditional, back to the spots we are familiar with, which means Spain and Portugal.

It will be outdoors, avoiding the crowds and thronged bars to find nature, parks, cycle ways, mountains and deserted beaches.

The options, the technology and the required documentation have all changed. But what has changed most is our mindset. It is a complicated world out there. And we need a travel agent to keep us moving and make sure we get to where we want to with our nerves intact and our rights and finances secured. That was probably always the case. Covid served as a reminder.

As reminders go, it doesn’t get any bigger.

Range

The advantage of traditional destinations is the number of flights on offer and the range of options that await us when we land at the airport.

Malaga, Faro, Barcelona and Palma de Mallorca will have the same number of flights as 2019, or close to them.

In summer there will be seven flights daily to Faro and Malaga, six to Barcelona and three daily to Alicante and Lanzarote.

Spain and Portugal account for 70pc of holidays in Ireland. While we enjoy our time there, we tend to end up in the same six or seven hotspots when we go.

Everywhere we go, there is somewhere equally beautiful emptier just up the road. And, more importantly in the post Covid environment, emptier.

When Andalucía is crowded, Extremadura is empty. When Algarve is crowded, Alentejo is empty. Not only are they emptier, but they are also usually cheaper, three quarters the cost for meals and accommodation. Nor all the hidden spots inland.

Places like Murcia offer free travel insurance to visitors to tempt them away from more popular Alicante.

Northern Spain could be a different planet from the south. Anyone who tracked the Camino trail along the north knows how beautiful the towns and villages of Asturias and Galicia are. Madrid and Barcelona both have five flights a day at peak, linked to the whole country by a fast rail network.

Flights

Most countries ended up with fewer flight options after Covid than they had before. Some have been badly cut off by airlines failing or downsizing.

Ireland is different, because we had two strong airlines. We even have more destinations from Dublin after Covid than we had before.

Many of the 12 new or restarted destinations from Dublin are business and migration services, like Cardiff, Plovdiv and Suceava.

Notable exceptions are Alghero, Antalya and Madeira. Getting Madeira back on the map of Irish tourism is great news for all of us. There are now two flights a week to Madeira, a great honeymoon destination. Spend a day in Porto Santo if you want to enjoy the beach.

New routes

The schedules to France, Germany, Greece, Italy and Turkey are also back to close to pre-pandemic levels. Turkish Airlines has a new direct service to Antalya. Four new airlines are hoping to start this summer, but are finding it difficult to get the slots they require.

Keep an eye on countries with new routes, which typically are better priced. The big travel companies have their own specialist resorts, which are not available to the independent traveller. By going to a travel agent, will you get access to all the options available.

Long haul options are as exciting as ever. Canada has more flights from Ireland after Covid than it did before. All but two of Aer Lingus US routes are back (Hartford and Minneapolis).

Our Middle East darlings of international travel, Emirates, Etihad, Turkish and Qatar, are roaring back into action with more than 200 one stop options.

The double daily A380 service to Sydney is back via Dubai, although a backlog of Aussies waiting to get home means prices are a bit spikey for the next few months.

There are 20,000 potential honeymoon couples from last year waiting to tie the knot, on top of the 20,000 for this year, and the favourite destinations, Italy in Europe, South Africa and Thailand are all reopening to welcome them, albeit at different speeds.

Mechanics of travel

Covid changed the mechanics of travel. Where before we could go most places with a passport and a boarding card, now we need a Digital Covid Certificate and, for most countries, a locator form as well.

Covid has changed expectations. Getting through the airport is a bit more difficult than it was, but not overly so.

Ireland’s requirement for a digital covid certificate and locator form was removed suddenly at the beginning of March. But other countries still require them.

Masks are still required on aircraft, even though many countries no longer require masks for public transport, shopping and recreational venues.

The Digital Covid Certificate, familiar to us since July, is required for travel to everywhere except Britain. Locator forms are also required outbound, but not inbound. It is expected Spain will remove the requirement before summer but Portugal’s may be around for a while longer, and France has a legal declaration which is much the same thing. In many countries the locator form supersedes the Digital Covid Certificate, generating its own QR code.

Keep an eye out for stubborn bureaucratic eccentricities. Portugal will want to know what postcode you are staying at. Spain will want to know the municipality (there are 8,000 of them). Canada will want to know the date of your first vaccine, as well as the second (and probably the third).

All of this is manageable without too much fuss. Just don’t leave it to the last minute.

Ukraine War

The Ukraine war has changed things as well. For holiday makers the biggest impact of Russia’s isolation will be on cruises out of Copenhagen.

The trip to St Petersburg by cruise ship was a big selling point of these itineraries, and many overnighted in St Petersburg. It was particularly attractive because getting a Russian visa is always a hassle, and you did not need a Russian visa if you arrived by cruise ship.

Without St Petersburg, the Baltic cruise is no longer as attractive as it once was.

Fuel prices, impacted by the Ukraine war, will drive fares up in the long term. Airlines introduced fuel price surcharges in the noughties when prices spiked and are already looking at this option.

Flights to Domodedovo from S7 were halted by Covid. We had daily Aeroflot flights to Sheremetyevo at peak, and these have now been halted, as have the flights to Kiev.

Air space closures will also lengthen air journeys, driving costs up to destinations like Japan. An upside? Many tourist markets depend heavily on Russians, who may be unable to travel this year, which could lead to unexpected opportunities in places that depend on them like Belek in Turkey.

Croatia is an example of a country that depends on a big Russian market and has a big increase in services from Ireland in 2022.

More seats from Ireland to be sold and more beds available because Russians are not coming. This means Croatia could be a value destination for summer 2022.

And you need a travel agent more than ever. Cavan Travel is an independent, government licensed and fully bonded travel agency, one of the best in the country.

It opened February 1988 and Virginia Travel followed in November 2001. During the Covid crisis, Cavan Travel brought 50 people safely home from Australia, New Zealand, India, throughout America and Europe.

Super service

They have operated two offices for 21 years but because of staffing issues they are moving the Virginia office, phone numbers, email addresses and manager Noreen Monaghan is moving back to the Cavan base.

Michael Geraghty says: “We are moving Virginia, not closing it. We are still here. We provided a super service during Covid, through changes, alterations and refunds. For us it’s a big decision as we don’t like having to move Virginia, (not close it ). But we have to be realistic.”

“This will give a better staffed operation, better supports, better cover, and a better service for our client base, including those from the Virginia area.”

“The travel future may appear to be uncertain but as current issues are resolved, we are here to sell, advise, support and follow up. Our staff are helpful and informed. We know your story and your needs. We will deliver.”

BOOKING YOUR FUTURE HOLIDAY

The value of Travel Agents was brought into sharper focus than ever before when the pandemic threw all holiday plans and international travel into complete disarray.

Amongst that turmoil Cavan Travel and Virginia Travel stood as islands of calm. They offered reassurance to their customers and then followed through on their promises.

“Anyone who had any difficulty and had to cancel a holiday, we got it moved to a new date, rebooked for a new destination or got them their money back,” explained director Michael Geraghty. “We take great pride in the fact that everyone who was entitled to a refund got it from Cavan and Virginia Travel.

The Travel Agents have built up an unrivalled reputation for customer service in the course of their 34 years in business. Covid only served to further highlight their reliability and professionalism.

In a small minority of cases tough negotiations were required to ensure a few airlines and tour companies lived up to their responsibilities, but it was the staff of Cavan Travel and Virginia Travel who put in the long hours at the end of a phoneline, while their customers reaped the benefits.

“This was done automatically – it is simply our motto and part of our procedure. If a person is entitled to their money: We fight for that right.”

However, Michael is eager to report: “Most airlines, tour companies and holiday chains were excellent and an absolute pleasure to deal with. Anybody who were our clients were looked after 100%. Everyone got their money back. But there were a few exceptions!”

Having seen first hand the merits of booking through a travel agent, they trust their loyal customers will continue to book holidays through the sister companies of Cavan Travel and Virginia Travel at 15 Main Street, Cavan Town.

“We hope we will get renewed interest in bookings, and people will come back to us after their experience with us, not alone over the past two years, but since we started in business,” said Michael.

Since they reopened to the public in September 2021, they are happy to report a spike in new business. During COVID-19 some of these new customers were financially impacted by booking independently, or had heard horror stories of people being left with no recourse.

Never before have trips abroad been so eagerly anticipated by so many people. Maybe before we almost took it for granted that we would have a fortnight in the sun, a weekend city break, a getaway on the ski slopes or Grand Prix.

With a wealth of experience, an impressive network of connections with tour operators and an eagerness to listen, they are best placed to help customers find their dream destination.

Michael observes that the surge in demand, coupled with worldwide inflation, and soaring fuel prices have resulted in package holidays and flights costing more this year.

“There will be no €299 deals this year,” he forecasts of holidays during the high season of May to September. “But people are prepared to pay a little more this year: ‘whatever the rate is, that’s what it is’. And with that little extra, they will get better accommodation.”

The go-to destinations for Cavan holiday-makers have traditionally been Portugal, Canary Islands, Costa del Sol, Italy, the Greek Islands. Michael anticipates the same hot spots remaining top of his customers’ wish lists in a post-Covid climate.

“They are not very far away, and because of familiarity, people are more comfortable going there,” he says, noting that the US is beginning to catch up with the European favourites.

Michael also advises anyone thinking of visiting Santa’s Grotto this Christmas to act now.

“A lot of people come along to us in May, June and July and say, ‘We’ve a bit of money and are thinking of bringing the children to Lapland next December’. At this time these two/three night trips are well sold out.”

Also looking ahead to next year, Michael cautions against delaying if you are considering a skiing holiday: “There was great demand for skiing this year because it’s in the open air, and there’s a sense of freedom. So we had the experienced people who ski every year looking to book and new skiers so we had huge demand. It’s a short season, so if you are thinking about skiing, now is the time to get your group together and book for skiing in January, February, March 2023.”

The top skiing destination for Cavan holiday makers is Austria, followed by Andorra and Italy.

You may think that travel agents would be eager to head off and explore every corner of the globe. Michael says the truth is not quite so adventurous, and admits to returning religiously to his favourite destination: “Come the month of May, if you told me I’d end up in Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast, I’d be very content.”

Siobhan and Michael look forward with anticipation to a bright future for Cavan Travel and Virginia Travel as they consolidate their business at 15 Main St Cavan.

With the help and support of Noreen Eilish and Laura their experience, knowledge and customer care will be freely and generously available to the holiday makers of County Cavan.