Demand for Zika-hit holiday destinations ‘returning to normal’
Demand for Zika-hit holiday hotspots is returning to normal, according to flight comparison website Cheapflights.
It said there was an average 13% dip in searches for destinations affected by Zika in the first few weeks of the year, but confidence in these countries has returned.
Phil Bloomfield of Cheapflights said it had seen a shift away from popular destinations, including Barbados, Brazil and the Dominican Republic, during the first week in February after the World Health Organisation (WHO) warned of Zika outbreaks in Latin America and the Caribbean.
At the same time, searches for more traditional British favourites like southern Spain, Portugal and Greece went up.
However, Bloomfield added: "More recently, we can see that confidence in the Zika-affected areas is returning, potentially thanks to the clear health advice from FCO (Foreign and Commonwealth Office) and WHO."
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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