2020 was a difficult year for the travel industry. But as domestic travel demand picks up, it’s interesting to know what to expect from travelers. ValuePenguin recently conducted a poll on 2,000 Americans and discovered an optimistic forecast for summer travel this year.
According to their survey, 53% are looking to make summer travel plans. Only 15% say that they are not traveling this year while 32% are considering it. In their poll last year, 72% didn’t have summer travel plans.
Spending on Summer Travel Plans
The poll also found out that potential travelers are willing to spend approximately $2,400 on their summer travel plans with an average of three trips. Almost half of the respondents are even willing to add debt just to be able to travel this year. Travelers are also more likely to delay or cancel their travel because of budget constraints than COVID-related concerns.
Airlines Are Back
The aviation industry last year lost a lot of money due to lockdowns and other health protocols that prevent COVID transmission. Collectively, the airline industry lost $84 billion in 2020. The federal government even provided billions of dollars worth of bailout funds just to keep the industry afloat.
Based on this year’s survey, airlines have a reason to celebrate. 40% of the respondents are looking to fly this year. Last year, only 13% flew.
Unfortunately, the poll also discovered that many are still hesitant to try other forms of transport. 44% are not up for international travel while 47% say that they are not going for a cruise. This attitude towards international travel is not exactly surprising.
The US implemented a conservative approach in preventing variants from entering the US. The US State Department even issued travel warnings for the majority of countries worldwide. Even US borders on Canada and Mexico remain closed. And lastly, the CDC wants Americans to reconsider traveling internationally despite being fully vaccinated.
