Travel firms say bookings have bounced back to pre-pandemic levels as families scramble for half-term holidays.

The UK will drop all Covid-19 testing for those who are fully vaccinated from 4am tomorrow – but travel rules for overseas destinations must still be followed.

However, Greece and Portugal have also scrapped entry tests for those who are double-jabbed this week, paving the way for families to not have to pay for any tests while travelling abroad.

Travel firms think people are looking to book trips to countries with the least restrictions for the February half-term – which starts this weekend – and also for over the summer.

Toby Kelly, from travel company Trailfinders, said: ‘Bookings are just back to pre-pandemic levels and for some destinations like Canada, Maldives, Costa Rica and Iceland, they are well above.

‘In Europe, countries such as Greece, Spain and Portugal that are test-free are performing best.’

The country’s largest independent travel agent, Hays Travel, said bookings over the past week have returned to ‘the same as the equivalent week in 2020’ before the pandemic began.

Chairperson Dame Irene Hays said: ‘With international flights now resumed from most regional airports and the majority of requirements on tests and isolation lifted, customer confidence in travel is returning and the demand for a holiday is huge.

‘We are looking at a busy half-term and a bumper summer season for travel this year.’

Package holiday giant TUI added demand for ‘long-haul favourites’ such as the Dominican Republic, Jamaica and Mexico have also returned to pre-Covid levels.

Data from flight analysts Cirium shows 7,746 planes – with more than 1.5 million seats – will leave the UK over the half-term.

This is up 545% on last year, but is down 42% compared to before the pandemic.

Channel rail service Eurostar added it has also seen an increase in bookings, with services running at 50% of its pre-pandemic timetable. Bosses said new services are being added daily.

Despite the surge in bookings it is thought holidaymakers are avoiding Spain due to its requirement that everyone over the age of 12 must be double-vaccinated.

Some teenagers may have had Covid-19 in the last month or two, which may have delayed them getting their first or second jab.

France also said it will soon drop mandatory testing for fully vaccinated visitors, with the country’s Europe minister Clément Beaune saying he expects an EU-wide scrapping of tests imminently.

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