Data published on Saturday (18 March) to celebrate a year without travel restrictions reports that 62% of Britons have been on a foreign holiday in the past 12 months.

This is up on the 16% reported in 2021, when most people couldn’t go abroad due the Covid travel restrictions implemented by governments around the world, including the UK.

“What a difference a year makes,” said Abta chief executive Mark Tanzer. “One of the sectors hardest hit by the pandemic is now back, and in a big way, with demand for travel reaching pre-pandemic levels.”

To mark the one-year anniversary of restriction lifting, Abta has invited members to share the #WeAreABTAmembers across their social media channels, as well as launching a competition for customers.

Called #CelebratingHolidays, the week-long competition encourages people to share a picture of a holiday taken in the past year, tagging the Abta member they travelled with, for the chance to win a pair of Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II and a year subscription to Audible Premium.

Looking ahead, the figures also show that 65% of UK tourists are set to go on holiday abroad in the next year, with 37% of people having already booked a break despite the cost of living crisis. 

“On the whole, people are preferring to adapt their travel plans rather than scrap them entirely, primarily by going all-inclusive, booking early, or holidaying outside of busy periods,” the chief executive added. 

“Challenges do still lie ahead, and many smaller companies still have a debt hangover from the pandemic, but for now at least, leisure travel isn’t feeling the same impact of the cost of living squeeze as other parts of the economy.”

Tanzer’s words were echoed by travel expert Rob Staines, who said it was "fantastic" to see the holidays and outbound travel sector growing. 

"If there’s one thing the pandemic taught us, it’s to appreciate the true value of a holiday and clearly, during a cost of living crisis, this is one aspect of life that many are not willing to forego," he told TTG.

Dame Irene Hays made a similar point earlier this month when she said huge possibilities were lying ahead for agents as Britons kept splurging on holidays. 

“People will forgo hospitality, they’ll forgo clothing and they’ll downgrade their grocery shopping in order to be able to afford a holiday,” she told members of the Hays Independence Group (Hays IG) on 4 March.