The number of passengers on international flights more than quintupled in June compared to the same period last year, according to statistics from the Swedish Transport Agency. Charter companies are reporting high booking pressure and many Swedes eager to travel.
Around 323,000 passengers travelled abroad from Sweden in June this year, compared to approximately 62,000 travellers last year.
– Swedes are more keen to travel than they have been for a long time. We were a bit hesitant last year but now we're travelling quite a lot, actually, says Sandra Miller Kinge, communications manager at Apollo.
The image is shared by Adam Györki, communications manager at Tui:
– A week before Midsummer and onwards, there has been a very high booking pressure for trips during the summer. It's quite unusual when we have the kind of weather we're having now, he says.
1.5 million COVID certificates issued
The fact that many people are eager to travel is also noticeable among the Covid certificates, which show if a traveler is vaccinated. The certificates are intended to facilitate travel in Europe. So far, over 1.5 million Covid certificates have been issued by the e-health authority since the beginning of July.
– We've seen a big increase in travel since the Covid certificates were introduced, people are travelling quite a bit when they have been vaccinated, says Sandra Miller Kinge.
There is still a long way to go before travel levels are as they were before the pandemic. In June 2019, there were 1,625,000 departing passengers on international routes.
– Usually, people book their summer holiday in January, and now they might only book a few weeks before they go. But if we continue at the booking pace we've seen recently, July trips will sell out, says Adam Györki.
Increased infection in many countries
As international travel increases, so too do reports of increased infection rates around the world, partly due to the Delta variant. In Spain, for example, infections have risen among young people and several restrictions have been reintroduced at nightclubs.
– If anything were to worsen, or if new restrictions or recommendations emerge, we would of course act on that. But so far, it feels safe and one must be careful to take personal responsibility, says Sandra Miller Kinge.
The Public Health Agency of Sweden now recommends that everyone who has travelled abroad take a PCR test upon returning to Sweden.
– We urge our travellers to follow the existing restrictions, even when on holiday, says Adam Györki.
Source: svt.se
