The last TTG Tracker survey of 2021 found that only 74% of agents had received enquiries in the two weeks before Christmas, with just 60% taking new bookings during this period.

But this pre-Christmas gloom may have already started to lift, with the announcement that the UK government is scrapping pre-departure tests and easing the Day 2 testing rules.

The majority of agents (67%) said that both enquiries and sales had gone down during the two-week period up to 23 December, compared with the previous fortnight.

These drops came as the industry reeled from the rapid spread of Omicron and the imposition of new travel restrictions, such as France banning UK holidays, before Christmas.

The biggest issues for clients during the period were worries about testing positive for Covid-19 before or during travel, followed by the burden of testing and hassle involved in travelling, as well as concern about rules changing while they were in the destination.

One agent said: “Since the return of pre-departure testing, our bookings have dropped off a cliff. In December, we are trading down 50% on December 2020 and 80% down on December 2019.”

Another agent added: “It was worst time of the pandemic for me: no government support, multiple changes [to restrictions], multiple cancellations, mask mandates in Spain, France’s ban on travel. It’s just a nightmare – who would want to travel? Confidence in travel is at an all-time low.”

Others admitted morale was “pretty low” in the run-up to Christmas, with a “groundhog day feeling” as they dealt with cancellations and questions from clients.

Fortunately, 2022 may bring more certainty around travel rules with transport secretary Grant Shapps saying that the government was looking to “stabilise” rules for international travel for the rest of 2022.