The findings show 57% of people have a holiday abroad booked for travel in the next year, which is up from 44% in October 2021.

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

When comparing travel intentions from 2019, 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 said the uptick in bookings comes after the UK government removed its Covid-19 travel measures on Friday (18 March).

According to the data, people are 39% "more likely" to book with a travel professional than before the pandemic, primarily for their guidance with travel requirements (47%), and broader travel expertise (40%).

Mark Tanzer, chief executive of Abta, described Friday as 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," he added.

"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."