[H1]Hitchin Nub News aims to support our community, promoting shops, businesses, charities, clubs and sports groups.[H1]

We showcase some of these businesses, organisations and individuals regularly in a feature called 'Up Close in Hitchin'.

As Covid restrictions ease, this week we're highlighting the brilliant Mondial Travel, an online travel business headquartered in Hitchin.

So, read on for Mondial Travel owner Susan Downie as she explains how and why confidence is returning to the hard-hit holiday industry.

.............

Susan Downie, owner and director at Mondial Travel believes there is once again hope for the previously beleaguered sector as the pandemic recedes.

As bookings start to increase following the easing of some travel restrictions and changes in Covid testing rules for international travel - including the removal of 'Day Two' testing on returning to the UK - more and more people are looking at holidays.

According to Mondial Travel, which has recently launched a new travel campaign, destinations such as Spain, the Canary Islands, Greece and Italy have been popular with customers looking for some sun in 2022, after a long period of uncertainty around travelling abroad.

It is welcome news following a tough 20 months for the business, which recently launched a marketing campaign encouraging customers to have 'A Fresh Perspective' on holidays this year, as restrictions ease and consumer confidence for overseas travel returns.

Susan Downie, owner and director at Mondial Travel said: "After an extremely difficult couple of years for our business, we are so pleased to have hopefully turned a corner.

"Since we don't make a profit until customers complete their holidays, we rely heavily on the continuation of travel for the livelihood of our business.

"From our recent sales figures, we have seen travel trends in sun-seeking and active holidays becoming popular, with customers choosing destinations such as the Canary Islands or Italy for their 2022 holidays."

The travel industry has faced huge difficulties during the coronavirus crisis, so in light of the recent positive announcements from government, the industry is optimistic for 2022 - and encourages holidaymakers to book their trips through a travel business.

Susan adds: "So far, bookings have mostly been for the winter and spring, and we're looking forward to helping more customers achieve their 2022 travel dreams."

Mondial Travel is a member of The Travel Network Group, the UK's largest independent travel membership organisation representing more than 1,200 travel businesses. For more information visit the Mondial website

.............

A SELECTION OF PREVIOUS HITCHIN NUB NEWS UP CLOSE FEATURES:

UP CLOSE: How backpacking trip led to Lauren and Toby creating acclaimed Bite Around the World

UP CLOSE: Amanda Reed lollipop lady – our town's true unsung Hitchin hero

UP CLOSE EXCLUSIVE interview with Sir Kier Starmer

UP CLOSE: Bim Afolami, Hitchin MP on racism, NHS, Brexit, lockdown, welfare, Marcus Rashford, Kier Starmer and much more

UP CLOSE: Matt Bean, owner of Cantina Carnitas

UP CLOSE: Chris Cheah, owner of Chicken George

UP CLOSE: Fabio Vincenti, owner of Fabio's Gelato

UP CLOSE: Simmy and Jhai Dhillon, owners of Rice and Spice

UP CLOSE: Danny Pearson, Beano comic writer

UP CLOSE:Hitchin Squirrel Rescue

[L]https://hitchin.nub.news/n/feature-hitchin-food-rescue-39seeing-volume-of-food-that-would-otherwise-go-to-waste-makes-it-very-real39[L+]UP CLOSE: Hitchin Food Rescue

UP CLOSE: Adam Howard, organiser BackToSchoolival

UP CLOSE: Hitchin's inspirational Black Lives Matter movement

UP CLOSE: RuPaul revolutionised positive perception of drag among mainstream says north Herts' Magenta

UP CLOSE: The brilliant Keith Jones - master butcher and master crooner

UP CLOSE: Freddy and Em, landlord and landlady of The Half Moon pub

UP CLOSE: Tradee On Demand - the brilliant new app dubbed 'Uber for property maintenance'

UP CLOSE: Flip Connect and Hitchin Town - The Perfect Match

UP CLOSE: Introducing Wellington Evans - Hitchin's newest estate agents

......................

If you or your business or organisation would like to be featured in a future UP CLOSE please email [email protected] or tweet us @HitchinNubNews