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Edinburgh travel teams open their doors as holiday bookings soar

Posted: 29th April 2021

Leading Edinburgh travel agencies have reopened their doors and are welcoming back customers after seeing a boom in holiday bookings as lockdown eases.

Barrhead Travel’s Edinburgh branches including the Cameron Toll, Fort Kinnaird, Livingston and The Gyle – opened their doors for the first time since last year and the teams have been welcoming back customers in person as local holidaymakers rush to book their first post-pandemic getaway.

Over the last year, each team has been working remotely, tirelessly supporting customers impacted by Covid-19.

Jacqueline Dobson, Barrhead Travel President, said that with the vaccine roll-out and easing of lockdown, people were now feeling more confident about planning their dream holiday for the near future.  They are witnessing the release of a massive pent-up demand– with destinations such as Tenerife, Turkey, New York, Orlando and Dubai among the favourites.

Demand for summer 2022 remains the most popular booking season but the Barrhead Travel team noted that bookings for this summer have increased over the last few weeks in tandem with lockdown restrictions easing.

The Barrhead Travel team reported that staycations and UK cruises have been proving popular for late spring bookings as families and friends plan to reunite for their first post-lockdown holiday. For this summer and beyond, demand for foreign holidays has been rising as customer confidence booms following comments from Transport Secretary, Grant Shapps, who confirmed that people can start thinking about booking summer holidays.

Dobson said that customer safety and peace of mind remains the number one priority and that customers are increasingly turning to their local travel agencies for advice. Dobson also said they had noticed an increase in new customer enquiries, chiming with ABTA’s recent report that one in four holidaymakers now plan to use a reputable travel agent – up from one in five in 2019.

Earlier this year, Barrhead Travel launched their Stress-Free Guarantee which provides holidaymakers with assurances about financial protection, flexible booking options and safety abroad. Barrhead Travel say the guarantee offers a cast-iron pledge to ensure that every single holiday booked is completely protected and offers the best possible flexibility – something that will be key for holidaymakers while travel is still subject to change.

Sarah Tansey, Barrhead Travel The Gyle Store Manager said:

“We are thrilled to be reunited in store after working from home for so long. While we are grateful that we are able to support our customers virtually, there is nothing like sharing that holiday excitement face-to-face.

The support from our customers and local community over the last year has been truly heart-warming and we can’t wait to welcome everyone back to help them plan their next well-deserved getaway, everyone needs something to look forward to!”

Barrhead Travel Edinburgh branches are now open. The teams are available for both in-store and virtual appointments –

Barrhead Travel in the Cameron Toll Shopping Centre is now open, call 0131 672 9080 for more information.

Barrhead Travel in the Fort Kinnaird Retail Park is now open, call  0131 322 6422 for more information.

Barrhead Travel in The Centre, Livingston is now open, call 01506 445840 for more information.

Barrhead Travel in The Gyle Shopping Centre is now open, call 0131 338 4730 for more information.

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