Travel Survey: Vacationers Booking Flights to Uncrowded Destinations

A Travel Leaders Network survey of nearly 2,700 frequent travelers found that Americans are making plans again and finding ways to confidently skirt their Covid concerns. The survey found that half are starting to make finite plans for their next vacation or have already made plans, while the other half continues to dream about it. Fifty percent of those surveyed said they plan to take their next vacation in 2020.

When asked when they plan to take their next vacation, 18 percent of those surveyed said this summer; 24 percent chose fall; 8 percent plan to travel during the upcoming holiday season; 43 percent opted for 2021 and 8 percent said 2022.

Europe (38 percent), the Caribbean (34 percent) and Mexico (15 percent) are the top-ranked International destinations of interest.

“Traveling somewhere this year is on the agenda. These findings align with reports from our travel advisors who are seeing calls and bookings on the rise,” said Roger Block, President of Travel Leaders Network.

Most of those surveyed who said they will travel this year said they plan to fly to their next vacation destination (45 percent), 25 percent will drive, while 18 percent said they plan to cruise.

Uncrowded, outdoor and beach experiences topped the list of desired domestic destinations, with National Parks, Florida, Hawaii, Alaska and “anywhere uncrowded” high on the list while traditionally popular sites such as New York and Nevada, popular for Las Vegas trips, scored much lower.

“Despite enthusiastic plans to travel, respondents did acknowledge concerns they had about increased risk of transmission while traveling, as well as being quarantined,” said Block.

However, the survey noted that travelers are seeking out “peace of mind” concepts and policies to bolster their trip planning.  A strong majority of those surveyed (nearly 60 percent) are concerned with the fine print when it comes to cancellation and refund requirements when booking with hotels, airlines, cruise lines or tour operators – especially in light of major controversies and lawsuits in process dealing with companies that find ways to skirt refund requests and instead offer vouchers for future travel. The survey found that financial incentives and flexible refund policies are strong motivators. More than half those surveyed (57 percent) also were interested in getting information on health and safety practices.

The survey was conducted in mid to late May and sent to clients of select Travel Leaders Network agencies in the U.S.