A Norfolk couple are among those who say they do feel safe enough to take a trip abroad once they've been vaccinated, if restrictions are lifted.

Great Yarmouth Mercury: Paul and Jeannette Nichols, pictured on holiday in Crete. They are booking up a dream wedding anniversary celebration in Dubai for June, feeling safe enough to do so once they've had the vaccine.Paul and Jeannette Nichols, pictured on holiday in Crete. They are booking up a dream wedding anniversary celebration in Dubai for June, feeling safe enough to do so once they've had the vaccine. (Image: supplied)

Jeannette Nichols, 71, from Hingham and husband Paul, 72, are hoping to be next in line to receive the vaccine against coronavirus. And in preparation, they are booking a longed-for holiday to Dubai to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary, postponed from last year.

It comes as some holiday firms are reporting a rise in bookings by the over 50s, particularly for UK breaks, for later in the year when people hope the nation will be out of lockdown. But it may be that some travel can only go ahead if people have been vaccinated.

Saga, which specialises in holidays for the over-50s, has now stipulated all cruise passengers must be vaccinated. The firm said it would delay restarting its travel packages until May to give customers enough time to get the vaccine.

Currently government restrictions mean people must stay at home. Only if people are legally permitted to do so, can they travel. It is not yet known whether having the vaccine stops people from spreading or catching the virus.

Great Yarmouth Mercury: John Potter, who runs Potters which has seen a spike in bookings as more people get vaccinated.John Potter, who runs Potters which has seen a spike in bookings as more people get vaccinated. (Image: Archant)

At Potters resort, Hopton-on-Sea, owner John Potter said: "We continue to invest in new facilities and are busy taking bookings, positive vaccine news has seen a sharp spike in people booking something to look forward to."

Boss of East Anglian holiday cottage firm Best of Suffolk, Alex Tarry, said: "We saw last year, on July 4, when our doors opened to guests once again, after 98 days of closure, we immediately became almost fully booked for the rest of the summer, we expect that to happen again. We have brought forward the opening of the 2022 calendar..for a lot of people having a booking to look forward to is a key part of the holiday."

Mrs Nichols, a retired county council worker, booking her anniversary trip to Dubai in June, said: "Some people think this is selfish, but we will still be taking all the same precautions. We won't be throwing away masks and anti-bac. We won't be going anywhere unless the coronavirus restrictions are lifted so the holiday may not happen. The travel industry will collapse if people don't support it."

"What we are saying is that we would feel safe once we've had the vaccine, we love our holidays. We would go in the UK but the problem is that for the same price as going to Cornwall you can go to Dubai all-inclusive and know you're going to get good weather.