Travel market researchers Destination Analysts reported Monday in their latest American Travel Update that a record high (since March 2020) 52.9% of Americans surveyed said they plan to take a leisure trip in the next 3 months, and 83.5% say they have at least tentative travel plans right now.
Other positive quantitative findings include:
- 44.2% expect the coronavirus situation in the US to get better or much better in the next month.
- 60.2% are in a "readiness state of mind" re travel.
- Half of American travelers expect to be comfortable at commercial outdoor venues and attractions by July.
However:
- 45.3% prefer generally to avoid travel.
- 45.7% still perceive travel and leisure activities to be unsafe.
- 46.5% refuse to travel until vaccines are more widely available.
- 48.3% agree that they don't want tourists in their communities.
- 48.7% agree that travel should be for essential needs only.
- 52.2% are deeply concerned about the impact of COVID-19 on their personal finances.
- 63.2% say they will avoid conferences and conventions.
The majority of Americans believe they will be vaccinated against COVID-19 by this summer.
That's the key to all of this, isn't it?
But, related: a new Ipsos poll finds that 24% of Americans say that after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine they will behave as they did pre-pandemic without regard to how anyone else feels about that.
24% is a big number.
Will those 24% screw up travel for the rest of us? Stay tuned for updates.
