The coronavirus vaccine has boosted demand for cruise trips at over-50s firm Saga.
It said pent-up demand fuelled a surge from 69 per cent to 86 per cent in people rebooking rather than taking a refund, after it put its travel operations on ice amid the pandemic.
It still has £140million of bookings under its belt as of last Saturday but is in talks with banks to secure breathing space as its travel arm burns around £6million a month.
All aboard: Saga said pent-up demand fuelled a surge from 69 per cent to 86 per cent in people rebooking rather than taking a refund
Euan Sutherland, Saga chief executive, said: ‘We know [customers] are ready to travel in great numbers and live their lives to the full as the vaccine programme is rolled out.’
Last week Saga was the first tour operator to insist that all customers must be fully vaccinated.
It is poised to restart its services in May, depending on restrictions, but faces hurdles after vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi advised Britons not to book a holiday yet.
Travel analyst Andreas van Embden, at Peel Hunt, cautioned: ‘It seems unlikely that many destinations will be ready to receive travellers this side of the summer, even if Saga has vaccinated travellers ready to go.’
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