Virgin Atlantic reports uptick in demand for 'premium' holidays
Will PayneVirgin Atlantic has reported an increase in demand from customers wanting to increase their traditional travel spending levels after a Covid-enforced lull in holiday booking over the past 20 months.
It comes after the airline launched its Heathrow-Bahamas route late last month, resumed services to Saint Lucia, and launched an Edinburgh-Barbados route.
Most bookings are being made for Christmas 2021 and the start of 2022.
Vice-president of communications Laura Brander told TTG the carrier’s recent Caribbean expansion was spurred on by the change in demand from consumers.
"We know people have had a really tough pandemic," Brander added, "We’re seeing really, really strong bookings from those wanting to visit friends and relatives, but also premium leisure, which is where the new route comes in to play."
She said the transatlantic expansion was for "people who haven’t really gone further afield in the pandemic" and "now want to see more".
"They want to spend more, they want to try more, they’re paying a bit more to go into premium, for example travelling in Upper Class seats, which is what we’re seeing in the trends.
"But, interestingly, they’re booking for Q4 and Q1, so they’re not booking further out, the big bulk of bookings coming in are for the rest of this year and January.
"Which is quite interesting, I think, because no matter what’s going on in the ether, demand is there to travel, people have missed it."
Brander said consumers are opting for five-star accommodation instead of three- or four-star hotels and adding on experiences such as skydiving.
"They’re putting it all out there because they haven’t been able to for the past 20 months," explained Brander.
The new route to Nassau is operated on a Boeing 787-9 with 31 Upper Class, 35 premium and 192 economy seats.
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