NEW YORK - Nearly one-third of Americans (31%) would consider taking a vacation outside of the home between now and the end of the summer, according to a new from The Points Guy. Another 15% say Autumn or late 2020 is when they’ll ponder a vacation this year.
Late summer (13%) is considered the most among 2020 timeframes, but others don’t feel the need to wait that long. 9% say they would think about an early summer trip and 8% are ready to take a vacation starting now.
Gen Z (ages 18-23) is the most likely age group to say they would travel between now and the end of summer (42%). Gender and income are factors in determining early travel, as well; 35% of men would consider taking a vacation before the end of summer, compared to 26% of women. Higher earners, those making $80,000 or more per year, are also more inclined to travel during this time (40% vs. 24% of those making less than $30,000 per year).
28% of US adults say they will wait until at least 2021 to travel, 6% say they will never consider taking a vacation away from home and 21% don’t know when they will think about traveling.
The top destinations (among those listed) Americans would feel most comfortable traveling to before the end of the year are a state or national park (44%) followed by beach (39%) and a hotel resort (28%). Fewer Americans are at ease with a home rental (19%), visiting a big city (15%) or going to a theme park (12%).
Public transportation, cruises and flying may make travelers more uneasy following the coronavirus pandemic, that’s why road trips provide the most comfort for would-be travelers this year, both for in-state trips (47%) and out-of-state (41%). One in five (20%) would take a domestic flight to their destination this year, while only 10% are comfortable flying internationally. Just 13% of Americans feel comfortable taking a train or other public transportation and only 7% would consider a cruise.
“Some people are understandably still uneasy about travel right now, but many remain undeterred from traveling. Ultimately, travel is deeply personal, and travelers need to make decisions based on their personal risk threshold, health and other factors, such as local and national restrictions. But for travelers who are eager to get back out there and see the world, it’s important to remember that a vacation doesn’t have to be a far-flung getaway. Travelers are warming up to the idea of classic road trips, and time spent in the great outdoors. Take advantage of flexible cancellation and rebooking policies to plan a trip closer to home, or - if you’re not yet ready to travel - start making plans for farther out that can be easily changed,” said Melanie Lieberman, senior travel editor at The Points Guy.
The airline industry has been hit particularly hard as a result of the pandemic. So, what would it take for Americans to feel safe flying again? Four in ten (40%) say a vaccine would need to be available or the virus be contained before they would step on a plane again. Other factors include getting an OK from federal (23%) or local (20%) governments, and the borders reopening (13%). One in five respondents (20%) say they will never fly again. An eager 11% of U.S. adults say that nothing would need to happen; they’re ready to fly right now.
Tags: The Points Guy
