Go! Go! Go! The race is on as British holidaymakers can finally head to the sun

The travel industry is bracing itself for a wave of mass bookings, as the UK government finally confirms that international travel can once more take place – from 17 May.

In Portugal, locations such as Amendoeira Golf Resort and Palmares Ocean Living & Golf in the Algarve, will be ready to welcome travellers with open arms.

Around 2.15 million British tourists visited Portugal in 2019, accounting for roughly nine million overnight stays. While 2020 was, obviously, far less busy, hopes are high that visitor numbers will pick up significantly this year. Rita Marques, Portugal’s Secretary of State for Tourism, comments:

“Most international organizations say that, if vaccination continues to evolve reasonably in Europe, we will probably end the year 2021 with a growth of 20 to 30% when compared to 2020.”
Airlines are certainly gearing up for a better year. Wizz Air, for example, has new routes running between Doncaster and Faro and Cardiff and Faro, ready to jet Britons off to the sunshine once more.

For many visitors, the charm of Portugal – from its vast, open green spaces and stunning coastline to its magnificent gastronomy – is more than enough to make owning a second home there extremely appealing. With families’ ambitions to buy property there frustrated by lockdowns and travel restrictions over the past year, companies such as Kronos Homes are expecting an exciting summer.

The easing of the travel ban comes just after Kronos’ Amendoeira Golf Resort reopened its doors, following both restrictions in Portugal and a major revamp of the resort. The latter has seen a new clubhouse, reception, restaurant and sports bar added for both holidaymakers and second homeowners to enjoy. Properties at the resort, which range from two-bedroom apartments to four-bedroom superior villas with their own pools, start from €285,000, fully furnished and equipped.