Travel with Tom Breathnach: vaccines & vacations - a boost for travel in 2021?

Could we see Venice again soon? For the first time since the coronavirus outbreak landed in Ireland in March, a real air of optimism is in the air.

Might a certain ray of travel positivity may be about to board? Undoubtedly, for the first time since the coronavirus outbreak landed in Ireland in March, a real air of optimism is in, well, the air. 

With news of two new covid vaccines emerging in as many weeks, it may not be too far into the future when we can enjoy the simple joys of international travel, from the clank of cheap wine in a Spanish supermarket trolley to the whiff of Inis perfume being sprayed in Cork Airport Duty Free. 

Faith is returning to the travel industry - and the weeks’ developments have proved the catalyst in kick-starting our collective dreams: that we may just travel again.

The good news came to the industry as a Christmas-comes-early double whammy. No sooner had pharma giant Pfizer announced that they had discovered a 90% effective vaccine, Massachusetts based Moderna unveiled news of their own vaccine (backed by Dolly Parton, no less), which has tested 95% effective. 

Holiday hopes immediately soared across the world with share prices in airlines, cruise companies and travel giants rallying. Ryanair shares bounced from €12 to €15 in the last week, stocks in Royal Caribbean, one of the world’s largest cruise ship companies, jumped 30% while Disney, who had to lay-off 28,000 workers in September saw its market price bounce by 12%. Investors are backing travel once again. But will consumers?

The sentiment reflected by David Shepherd, Aer Lingus’s Chief Commercial Officer, is sanguine.

“Aer Lingus believes that positive developments regarding vaccines, the introduction of improved testing regimes, and our new flexible booking options, including the ability to change any flight on any fare type up to two hours before travel for free, will help to encourage greater demand for international travel in 2021,” he says.

It’s indeed the vaccine breakthrough dovetailed with this number of fresh industry measures to stoke bookings which could see a winter boost in consumer confidence.

Over the last months, airlines, hotels and agents have created more flexible cancellation policies, better refunds and above all decent fares. New York City room rates have tanked from $285 to $150 this year, €139 can get you a one way ticket with Aer Lingus to Toronto in 2021. 

For now, while we may still be at the check-in desk of our journey - rather than at the baggage carrousel - following months of dismal news, our travel dreams for 2021 are finally looking a little more like a reality.

Covid Tests

Landing or taking off? Two covid-19 facilities opened at Dublin Airport on Thursday offering travellers a convenient option to test before they fly. 

Operated by healthcare firms Randox and RocDoc, the testing sites will offer passengers and consumers the option of either drive-through or walk-in tests prices from €99 and results available in as little as 24hrs. 

Negative-testing tourists may then be able to bypass quarantines or travel restrictions on either end of their Dublin Airport journey; they’re also fully open to the public.

Canola Power!

Could rapeseed fields fuel ecotourism success in Ireland? This week, a small town in Australia hit the news after seeing its tourism fortunes flourish on the back of sowing fields of the yellow crop (a.k.a. canola). 

Visitor numbers to Cowra, New South Wales have quadrupled over the last year as Instagram-driven travellers are drawn to photograph the plants as they peak in their natural colour burst. 

In Ireland, we’ve already seen how a lavender farm in Wexford became a trending attraction this summer, with the outfit just charging a nominal parking free to experience it purple wow. Could we see the likes of a Clonakilty Canola festival kicking off in 2021?

Green Friday

Black Friday seems to have snuck into the bargain bin of the Irish lexicon - and our shopping habits - in recent years. But instead of spending hundreds on some kitchen gadget at Harvey Norman, why not avail of deal in the Irish hospitality sector? 

The new “Go Anywhere” gift card from irelandhotels.com are offering a 10% boost on bookings made from Nov 27th to 30th. A €20 e-card will be credited with every €200 spent on their site, which can be used at any of 350 properties nationwide. And yes, they’re calling it Green Friday!

Burren Bounce

Could the Burren become any more en trend? Well, yes. This week, travel bible Lonely Planet announced the Clare region as one of the world’s top destinations to visit in 2021.

The Burren Eco Network, a gathering of 60 sustainability-focussed tourism businesses regularly featured in our travel pages was recognised in the publication’s Best Community Tourism Project. Other areas lauded include the low carbon Rocky Mountaineer train in Canada and Gothenburg in Sweden as one of the word’s most sustainable city breaks.