Your Co-op Travel, which has a branch in Cheap Street Frome has announced a January sale, with up to £200 off new bookings made until 11 February 2022.

Part of The Midcounties Co-operative, Your Co-op Travel, which has 76 branches across England's mid counties, including five in Wiltshire and Somerset, is complementing the sale by offering Covid tests at cost price, via Your Co-op Pharmacy, and a flexible booking policy to boost holidaymaker confidence, during these uncertain times.

Consumer confidence was hit by the new travel testing requirements imposed by the UK government, in December, as well as the recent bans on British travellers brought in by other countries to try to slow the spread of the Omicron variant. Your Co-op Travel is calling on the government to loosen the testing requirements as soon as possible, particularly the test needed to return to England, which is the greatest barrier to holidaymakers booking, due to concerns over getting stuck in resort should they test positive. The travel agency is also urging holidaymakers to book a package holiday with a tour operator that offers flexibility to cancel or change the date or destination, if needed, and to use a travel agent for added protection.

Head of Branches for Your Co-op Travel, Natalie Turner, said: "January is typically the time when our customers start planning their holidays for the year ahead and, whilst we don't anticipate a rush of last minute bookings for holidays departing in January or February, unless the travel restrictions are lifted, we expect customers will be booking for spring and summer 2022 and into 2023.

"We're already seeing a shift towards customers booking 14-night getaways, rather than the traditional seven, and opting for long-haul, luxury destinations because holidaymakers want to make their trip extra special, having missed out on an overseas holiday in 2020 and 2021. Everyone wants something to look forward to, after the excitement of Christmas has passed and especially amid the doom and gloom of the pandemic.

"Our advice to customers is to go ahead and book their well-deserved, dream getaway for 2022, but book with a tour operator that offers low deposits and the flexibility to cancel or change a booking, should circumstances change, such as the Co-op Holidays Promise offered by our own tour operator. Booking with a travel agent will also provide customers with added financial protection and an expert agent will be able to advise holidaymakers on the entry rules and testing requirements for the destination they are visiting. The customer will be in safe hands if their holiday plans do need to shift with an agent available on the end of a phone to do the leg-work for them."

The Your Co-op Travel January sale is available in branch as well as online at cooptravel.co.uk, with savings of up to £200 per booking. Deals include:

- 14-nights, All-Inclusive at the 4* Bel Jou Hotel in St Lucia with Co-op Holidays, reduced from £3,556 for two people to £3,365 (£1,682.5pp) with the £200 discount, including flights and 23kg luggage, based on 5 November '22 departure.

- 14-nights, Room-Only, at the 4* Hyatt Regency Orlando, Florida, with Co-op Holidays, reduced from £3,214 for two people to £3,014 (£1,507pp) with the £200 discount, including flights and 23kg luggage, based on 1 October '22 departure.

- Five-nights, Room-Only, at the 4* Intercontinental Times Square, New York with Co-op Holidays, reduced from £3,067 for two people to £2,867 (£1,433.50pp) with the £200 discount, including flights and 23kg luggage, based on 6 August ''22 departure.

- 10-nights, All-Inclusive, at the 4* Sugar Cane Club, Barbados, with Co-op Holidays, reduced from £4,243 for two people to £4,043 (£2,021.50pp) with the £200 discount, including flights and 23kg luggage, based on 1 May 2022 departure. To support customers further with their holiday plans, Your Co-op Travel is offering Covid-19 tests to customers at cost price. The tests are supplied by government-approved, UKAS-accredited providers, Randox and C19 Testing, and can be ordered directly from the Your Co-op Pharmacy website. Customers can buy individual tests or test-kit bundles tailored to the requirements of the destination they are visiting, the rules in place at the time of travel regarding testing to return the UK, and the vaccination status of the traveller. The discount code is issued to customers upon confirmation of their holiday booking. For added peace of mind, Your Co-op Travel is offering customers booking package holidays with its own tour operator, Co-op Holidays, low deposits, flexible payment options, free changes and cancellations and cash refunds within 10 days, as part of the Co-op Holidays Promise. Co-op Holidays was recently awarded "Green" status by Which? magazine in its Holiday Checker - a comparison of the flexible booking and cancellation policies of more than 70 holiday companies.