EDreams Says Long-Haul Trips to Bali, Bangkok Are Back as Covid Curbs Ease

Clara Hernanz Lizarraga, Bloomberg News

Tourists at a beach club in Seminyak, Bali, Indonesia, on Friday, May 6, 2022. With the broader reopening, fully vaccinated visitors from overseas to Bali no longer need to quarantine. , Bloomberg

(Bloomberg) -- Holidaymakers are finally beginning to book long-haul trips to Bali and Bangkok as Covid-19 travel restrictions ease, even as surging inflation and a cost of living crisis in Europe make those trips more expensive, according to online travel agency eDreams ODIGEO SA.

While flights within continental Europe are still the most popular, “we’re starting to see more long haul destinations in the top 10 searches,” Chief Executive Officer Dana Dunne said in an interview in Madrid. Bangkok, New York, Tokyo, Istanbul and Bali were among the most searched destinations globally so far this year, Dunne said.

Carriers have been ramping up their long-haul capacity, betting that demand will return to pre-pandemic levels in 2023 as countries scrap Covid era restrictions. The reopening of China last month is expected to unleash a surge in global travel, and European airlines that had routes to Asia’s biggest travel market before the pandemic have resumed their services to the country.

In a sign of growing confidence, as well as a desire to lock in prices ahead of the peak holiday season, travelers are back to booking travel earlier, Dunne said. Frequently changing travel rules during two years of the pandemic led passengers to book at the last minute.

Still, the travel company said the average length of stays has remained constant, with short trips of up to 4 days being the most popular.