Prices fall for Canary packages despite removal from quarantine list

Average winter sun prices to the Canaries have tumbled by up to a third despite the islands being taken off the quarantine list.

Rates to Fuerteventura and Tenerife have fallen 33% and 27% respectively with seven-night Lanzarote packages down 24% on last year. Prices for Gran Canaria have fallen 14%.

The findings were revealed after a study by TravelSupermarket between 13 and 27 October.

TravelSupermarker analyst Emma Coulthurst said: "Despite significant increased demand for holidays to the Canaries on the back of last week’s announcement, a lot of the travel industry is reporting that traveller numbers are less than half where they would be normally.

"A lot of competition in the market for business means you can find a seven-night package holiday from the UK to Tenerife starting from under £150pp at the moment".  

Package prices to Cyprus – where a negative Covid test is still required – have fallen 28% with Crete prices down 15%.

The Maldives – which was also taken off the quarantine list last week – held steady year on year
with average prices rising 5%.

"The hard-hit Industry is probably hoping that it won’t have to cut prices to long-haul destinations like the Maldives, where holidaymakers are prepared to pay for luxury and remoteness and limited occupancy," Coulthurst said.

"Holiday providers will be hoping that the high-end Isolated island experience and spaced-out accommodation and outdoor eating opportunities, which make it easy to socially distance, will be enough to encourage bookings and keep prices static".