TUI expects travel bookings to return to pre-health crisis levels during summer next year.

It comes after the world's biggest holiday firm posted an annual loss of over $2.2 billion.

That as travel restrictions continued to hit the travel industry hard.

TUI said on Wednesday (December 8) it had recorded 4.1 million bookings for this winter and summer next year.

The German firm has struggled since restrictions were imposed, and was forced to take state aid and raise money through debt and equity.

The company secured about $1.2 billion to pay down its debts.

TUI now says it is close to reaching break-even in the fourth quarter, and was hitting 69% of pre-crisis levels in the first quarter of the new year.

Shares in the firm fell over 5% Wednesday though, as traders focused on a warning that resurgent health worries could yet force it to cut winter capacity.