A Travel Leaders Network survey of nearly 2,700 frequent travelers found that half are starting to make finite plans for their next vacation or have already made plans, while the other half say they are dreaming of when they can travel again. Fifty percent of those surveyed said they plan to take their next vacation in 2020.
“Traveling somewhere this year is on the agenda for many travel enthusiasts. 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.
The survey was conducted in mid to late May and sent to clients of select Travel Leaders Network agencies in the U.S.
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.
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, scoring lower.
Europe (38 percent), the Caribbean (34 percent) and Mexico (15 percent) are the top-ranked International destinations of interest.
“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.
Still, travelers are eager for information on travel planning. A strong majority of those surveyed (nearly 60 percent) want to receive promotional offers and details about supplier Peace of Mind policies. Peace of Mind policies outline the cancellation and refund requirements of the booked hotel, airline, cruise ship or tour operator. The survey found that financial incentives and flexible refund policies are strong motivators. Tips on health and safety are desired by 57 percent.
Travel Leaders travel advisors speaking directly about their recent bookings expressed that their savvier travelers are excited to travel again soon and are not particularly concerned about Covid-19, as they can protect themselves as easily on vacation as they can shopping at home. Clients have expressed more concern about whether or not a second wave would cause the cancellation of their travel plans for this summer or fall because they are eager to travel. Others have expressed concern about their employers putting them on a two-week quarantine upon return if they do travel.
Here’s what three advisors said about some of their recent bookings of clients traveling in 2020.
“There is no better time to use a travel agent,” said Block. “Our travel advisors have up-to-the-minute information and they are there to help you if plans change.”
Consumers dreaming of taking a vacation this year, next year or beyond can find a Travel Leaders specialist at travelleaders.com who can assist them with a variety of destination options.
About Travel Leaders Network
Travel Leaders Network (www.TravelLeaders.com) assists millions of leisure and business travelers annually, and is one of the largest sellers of luxury travel, cruises and tours in the travel agency industry, with approximately 5,700 travel agency locations across the United States and Canada.
Source: Travel Leaders Network