Foreign secretary Liz Truss, meanwhile, faces criticism for “wasting” £500,000 on private jet flights to Australia, while prime minister Boris Johnson is reportedly “wobbling” over whether to go ahead with the planned rise in national insurance.

Elsewhere, Barnard Castle in north-east England has seen a record number of visitors after featuring in the Dominic Cummings lockdown row.

Here are the headlines that the travel industry woke up to on Friday (28 January)

UK travel industry forecasts summer boom as bookings surge

EasyJet and Saga are among the travel firms predicting a summer surge in bookings as the impact of the Omicron variant on consumer confidence wanes and the UK government lifts testing and travel restrictions. This weekend is expected to see “bumper” travel sales as people receive their first pay packets since Christmas. (The Guardian/The Independent)

Truss defends using private jet for Australia trip

Foreign secretary Liz Truss has defended using a private jet instead of commercial flights for her recent trip to Australia, which cost the UK taxpayer an estimated £500,000. Truss took the long-haul trip earlier this month for a meeting with Australian government officials. (The Telegraph)

Johnson may delay national insurance rise to secure survival

Prime minister Boris Johnson is said to be “wobbling” over the government’s plans to raise national insurance rates, after Conservative MPs warned him that the increase must be postponed to ensure their support over the ongoing “partygate” scandal. (The Times)

Barnard Castle records best ever year for tourists

Barnard Castle saw its “best ever” year for tourists in 2021 after the town was thrust into the spotlight as part of the Dominic Cummings lockdown row. The County Durham attraction saw 30,721 visitors last year - up by 20% on 2019 figures - after former government advisor Cummings said he had visited Barnard Castle during lockdown in 2020. (BBC News)

Covid rules relaxed in Scotland and Wales

Rules on social distancing and the wearing of masks are being relaxed in Scotland from Friday (28 January), while Wales is also lifting most of its Covid restrictions as both countries have passed through the “peak” of Omicron infections. (Various)

UK firms warned to bolster cyber defences against threat of new Russian attacks

Britain’s cyber security centre has advised UK-based organisations to check their cyber defences because of concerns about potential new Russian cyber attacks on computer systems due to the ongoing crisis over Ukraine. Fears persist that Russia could be about to invade Ukraine. (Sky News)