There could be £1.1billion in cancelled holidays this summer thanks to passport processing delays, it is claimed. As international travel returns to pre-pandemic levels, the number of travellers submitting their forms has spiked in recent months.
And the resulting backlog could leave hundreds of thousands of families with no option but to cancel their planned getaways. The Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR) estimated there is only a 50 percent probability of "successful and timely" passport renewal for travellers based on current reports.
Using VisitBritain figures to come to its estimate the thinktank explained that more than two in five of us are planning an overseas trip in the coming 12 months. However, with the number of valid UK passports falling by 2.6 million in the last two years or so, the Passport Office has advised travellers to apply to renew theirs a good 10 weeks in advance of setting off abroad.
