International travel will open up for the festive holiday season and 2021 looks “promising”, according to a new survey by luxury travel network Virtuoso.

Nearly half (40%) of those surveyed said they were considering travelling during the 2020 Christmas period, with 59% adding that they were willing to take an international flight, depending of travel restrictions.

Looking ahead to 2021, the survey found that next year’s cruise bookings were outpacing 2018, with river cruising up 14% for 2021.

Ocean cruises and island destinations make up the majority of new bookings, according to the network, with 76% of travellers wishing to take a beach holiday this autumn.

Flexible cancellation or rebooking policies are the most important factor for client’s booking international trips, ahead of both cleaning and safety protocols and a destination’s Covid-19 infection rate.

Virtuoso also analysed insights from its interactive social site, Wanderlist, and found that Italy was the most sought after destination for high net worth clients.

South Africa, Australia, France and Japan also made the top five.