In a sign of optimism for the travel industry in the year ahead, almost one in three (32%) Brits have already booked a UK or foreign holiday for 2022, according to new research from comparethemarket.com. An additional third (36%) are also considering booking a trip later this year.

Yet the ongoing impact of coronavirus is still causing some travel apprehension. Over two-fifths (44%) of Brits are more nervous about travelling abroad compared to before the pandemic, which has given rise to some families preferring “staycations” for the time being, with 40% now more likely to travel in Britain. One-third (34%) who are yet to book a holiday are still waiting to see what happens to COVID-19 case rates.

Some of the main concerns driving nervousness around international travel include the risk of new travel restrictions being imposed (39%), the hassle and costs of COVID-19 tests when visiting certain countries (35%), and concerns about the cost of falling ill abroad (30%). However, the government recently announced that in time for the half term holidays, from 11 February, individuals arriving in England and Scotland will no longer have to take post-arrival Covid tests if they are fully vaccinated.

To ease anxiety around the hassle of holidays, travel insurance can provide peace of mind and is a cost-effective way to protect yourself against a range of scenarios when travelling abroad or in the UK, such as lost luggage and missed transport connections, as well as if you fall ill.

Those who do not have travel insurance in place could be at risk of losing money or not having adequate protection; concerningly almost one in five (17%) Brits still considering a holiday abroad in 2022 say they are unlikely to take out insurance.

Others risk failing to take out insurance far enough in advance. Concerningly, the majority (52%) of those planning to get travel insurance will not take out a policy when they book their holiday. On average, individuals plan to purchase insurance only 6 weeks before they travel, meaning that risks such as flight cancellations or changes could occur prior to insurance providing cover.

Amongst those who do intend to take out travel insurance, COVID-19 appears to be driving that decision. Over one-third (35%) are doing so for additional protection if they catch COVID-19 abroad or to cover the cost of medical treatment (35%). All of the insurers on comparethemarket.com’s comparison panel offer emergency medical treatment and repatriation for COVID-19 claims.

Josh Daniels, head of travel insurance at comparethemarket.com said: “After almost two years of travel disruption, everyone deserves a well-earned holiday and, with certain travel restrictions recently easing for people returning home, it’s likely this will give the travel industry a much-needed boost. However, plans could still change last minute either due to illness or external circumstances. For peace of mind, it is strongly advised to take out travel insurance – whether that’s going abroad or on a staycation – to make sure you are covered for any required medical treatment, lost or damaged luggage and transport delays or cancellations.”