New research suggests many Brits are currently preferring to travel to destinations with good Covid-19 vaccination rates, despite much of the UK population already being double-jabbed. But what is behind Britain’s cautious approach to travel? Let’s take a look.
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Are Brits seeking destinations with good vaccination rates?
According to Piplsay, 31% of Brits are reconsidering their travel plans following the recent surge of the Covid-19 delta variant. The same research suggests that 24% of Brits would prefer to travel to places with good vaccination rates. 22% are even rethinking or delaying their travel plans.
Interestingly, the same number of Brits (22%) said they will go ahead with their plans despite concerns about the delta variant.
Meanwhile, 30% say they’ll enjoy a staycation in 2021, and 47% say they’ve no plans for a holiday this year.
What else did the research show?
The most important factor for Brits when choosing a travel destination was the number of Covid-19 cases. This was closely followed by choosing places based on vaccination rates.
Piplsay’s research also suggests that travelling to countries with limited restrictions was an important consideration for 17% of Brits. Meanwhile, 11% of respondents took into account places with good health facilities.
However, it’s important to note that not all British nationals shared this cautious approach. More than a fifth (21%) of respondents said they would be happy with any open destination, regardless of vaccination rates. And 18% said that they wouldn’t be taking any precautions while abroad, such as wearing a mask.
Strikingly, 15% of respondents said they wouldn’t get tested from Covid-19 following their holiday. This is despite the legal requirement to do so when returning from all countries except the Republic of Ireland.
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Which countries have good vaccination rates?
Some countries are doing better than others when it comes to vaccination rates. The UK has currently administered 136 doses per 100 people.
European countries with good Covid-19 vaccination rates – averaging at least 100 doses per 100 people – include Ireland, Germany, France, Spain, Portugal, Finland, Sweden and Norway.
Asian countries with good vaccination rates include Turkey, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Malaysia, Cambodia, China, Mongolia and Japan.
In the Americas, Chile, Uruguay, Ecuador, Canada and the United States lead the way.
Can I travel to all countries with good vaccination rates?
While you may be more comfortable visiting countries with good vaccination rates, many destinations are restricting entry to their country.
For example, the USA is denying entry to anyone who has been in the UK in the previous 14 days.
Meanwhile, Japan has imposed similar entry restrictions on British travellers. Anyone who has stayed in the UK within 14 days prior to landing in Japan will be denied entry.
Chile, another country with good vaccination rates, is also restricting entry to UK travellers unless they hold a Special Entry Permit.
For more information on which countries UK nationals can currently visit, see the government’s Foreign Travel Advice webpage.
Is it risky to travel to places with low vaccination numbers?
While it may be difficult to restrict your travel plans to countries with good vaccination rates, if you choose to travel to countries with poor rates you may increase your risk of catching Covid-19 while abroad.
This is partly the reason why the UK has introduced a traffic light system for travel. While the system has come under scrutiny, supporters say it helps limit the risk of new Covid-19 variants entering the country.
Is there anything else I need to know?
Whatever your opinion on vaccination rates, if you are heading overseas, then it’s always a good idea to keep costs to a minimum.
If you haven’t already done so, it’s worth exploring the top travel credit cards to ensure you don’t overpay when using your plastic abroad. It’s also worth bagging yourself a free Global Health Insurance card, as well as ensuring you have good travel insurance.
Keen for more tips? See the list of our recent travel articles.