Feature Image credit ©VisitGuernsey
Stay ferry local, feel a world away
Passenger ferry bookings indicate a summer spent closer to home. Ferry industry reveals 10 extraordinary destinations on our doorstep
Discover Ferries is an industry body representing 13 ferry operators in the UK, Ireland and the British Islands operating more than 80 routes.
Discover Ferries members operate continental ferry services from the UK and Ireland to France and from the UK to Belgium, The Netherlands and Spain, as well as ferry routes between the UK and the island of Ireland. Members also operate routes to the Isle of Wight, Isle of Man, Isles of Scilly, Scottish Islands, Channel Islands and in London.
Tourisme Bretagne – Image credit ©Thibault Poriel 
Isles of Scilly – Credit Isles of Scilly Travel
Members include: Brittany Ferries, Caledonian MacBrayne, Condor Ferries, DFDS, Hovertravel, Irish Ferries, Isle of Man Steam Packet Company, Isles of Scilly Travel, P&O Ferries, Red Funnel Ferry, Stena Line, Uber Boat by Thames Clippers and Wightlink.
Ferry bosses reveal that summer bookings across UK passenger routes have benefited from the government’s Covid exit roadmap and the growing number of people who have received a vaccination.
Image credit ©Visit Isle of Man 
Image credit ©Wightlink 
Image credit ©Tourism Ireland
While there is still a question mark over global travel, the announcement has led to a surge in interest for breaks closer to home, with ferry operators reporting an average increase of 116% in bookings since the plan was unveiled on 22nd February 2021. To inspire holidaymakers, industry body Discover Ferries has compiled the dream destinations that Brits might not believe are on their doorstep – proving that some seemingly exotic locations are actually ferry local.
Abby Penlington, director of Discover Ferries, says: “The government’s roadmap to ease Covid restrictions has encouraged excited holidaymakers to start planning their next trips, which has given operators a much-needed boost. Due to uncertainty over travelling further afield, it makes sense that consumers are looking to stay closer to home and considering trips in the British Isles and neighbouring European countries that are progressing well with their own vaccination programmes. By no means does staying locally mean that travellers need to miss out on exotic experiences, as there are plenty of extraordinary locations within reach of our shores. From daytrips and staycations to European getaways, ferry travel offers passengers the freedom to explore and a feeling of escape – quite literally the breath of fresh air we all need after staying home for so long. These destinations prove that there are some remarkable locations surprisingly close by.”
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