In Their Words: Black Travelers on the State of Travel

 

Black travelers generate $63 billion in travel spending each year, making investing in marketing to them great business sense. Yet these travelers still find themselves under represented in travel marketing and subject to unwelcoming treatment. During our webinar on July 7th, 2020, Robin McClain, SVP of Marketing & Communications at Destination DC, led a panel of black travelers in conversation about their travel experiences and what the travel industry can do to market and make travel an equally inclusive leisure activity. Below is what was shared. [Note: comments have been edited for brevity]

On Differing or Similar Travel Considerations That Travel Marketers May Not Be Aware Of, How to Market to Black Travelers and the Black Lives Matter Movement

“I do a ton of research online, and so I like to see people in the adverts that look like me. If there is a fighting chance that someone is going to look like me, I’m going to dig a little bit deeper and see what they offer. It just makes me take the next step. My next steps are quite frankly at this point going to Instagram and looking at some of the affinity groups–the Black Girls Travel groups, there is a whole bunch of them—making sure that people have had good experiences in these places, and also recognizing when people have not had such good experiences. And I will unpack that for myself a little bit just to see what that means for me and my family. Also, we’re big walkers, so walking distances to places. Where is a good, safe place for us to be? Even now, I would be looking for how can I walk from point A to point B and is it safe for me to do that? I’m looking for places that have people working there that look like me. And if I leave the hotel, how is that going to be and when I come back, because I can deal with a lot of stuff out in the community in the place that I am visiting if I know I can absolutely relax when I get back to the place that I am staying.”

“I certainly think about traveling below the Mason-Dixon line and what that may mean for me in terms of safety and security. And then internationally, I have had some not so great experiences where I did feel affected by racism. That is certainly something that I look into exploring and researching: if a country or a destination or city is friendly or welcoming to African Americans.”

“I do love traveling but as an African American I’m a little bit more hesitant–even though I am going to do it–just because of the current situation, the current climate, we could say that a different climate is going on right now in the world just as far as police brutality and things like that, and our protests. I feel like there is a little bit more tension than there has ever been before, actually a lot more. I’m a bit more protective of myself and my family. I’m just trying to take it one day at a time with travel.”

 

 

“I’m an abrasive researcher, so before I travel, I’m trying to find as much information as possible, so what I need to know is what kind of activities in any destination would be relevant for my family’s type of interest as well as my interests so we can kind of map out a portfolio of things we can possibly do while we’re traveling. [Even though I live in Atlanta] I was very hesitant to travel throughout the South. There are probably great casinos and beaches in Biloxi, but to this day I’m still hesitant to plan a trip there because, even if I got there and everything is cool in Biloxi, I have to get there, and drive through those states and the small towns. And images of Antebellum South and confederate statues…that to me conveys that maybe I’m not welcome there.”

“If I saw that a country or a city had a Black Lives Matter rally or a march or a protest, that would actually make me consider going to that city. There are a couple of cities that I’m like oh wow, they are really rallying around BLM and maybe I should give thought to going there because they embrace people like me.”

“I think that use your words like rich experience, cultural experience, and accepting experience something on those lines I think would attract me. Wording I think has to be chosen very carefully. Advertisements of lots of different places, it’s the wording, it’s the hook that gets people excited, the first few sentences–those key words that kind of fly off the screen or fly off the page you are reading. Then pictures, pictures of cultures, picture of cultural cities, pictures of happy times, positive, pictures of things that are light-hearted because again the current situation in our world right now is pretty daunting. Being able to see this as a great getaway and it just seems like I can see myself there, I can see myself as an African American traveler going here because look at all this beautiful brown people. And not just African American but lots of different cultures that are attracted to that location.”

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Update on American Travel in the Period of Coronavirus—Week of July 6th

More than twice as many Americans took trips for the Fourth of July compared to Memorial Day, and those who did skewed younger, male, city dwellers with higher household incomes—offering some clues to travel’s near-term future.

 

 

IMPORTANT: These findings are brought to you from our independent research, which is not sponsored, conducted or influenced by any advertising or marketing agency. Every week since March 15th, Destination Analysts has surveyed 1,200+ American travelers about their thoughts, feelings, perceptions and behaviors surrounding travel in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, and explored a variety of topics. The findings presented below represent data collected July 3rd-5th.

Key Findings to Know:

  • 63.0% of American travelers feel the pandemic is going to get worse in the US in the next month—up dramatically from 34.7% at the beginning of June.
  • Americans reported ability to be inspired to travel in the next three months—even under attractive conditions—has declined with the worsening of the pandemic.
  • The percent of Americans saying there are certain destinations they would normally consider visiting but now will absolutely not jumped to 37.3% from 29.6% in just one week.
  • When asked what’s driving the avoidance of these destinations, rising coronavirus cases and the perceived unsatisfactory management of the situation, as well as the expected poor behavior of other tourists was most cited.
  • Nevertheless, there are many Americans who are still traveling or planning to: 16.5% took a trip for the Fourth of July holiday, more than double Memorial Day.
  • The profile of these holiday travelers—younger, male, urban, affluent—may offer clues to travel’s near-term.
  • Americans who already have a destination(s) in mind for their 2020 leisure travel plans continue to show an affinity for beaches.
  • The hotel operational practices that would make Americans feel most confident that their health is being looked after is employees wearing masks and gloves, well-explained cleaning procedures, enforced social distancing and being provided with sanitizer and masks.

As record numbers of cases continue to be reported throughout the United States, 63.0% of travelers feel the situation is going to get worse in the next month—up dramatically from 34.7% at the beginning of June. Perceptions of travel activities being unsafe are the highest they have been since the week of April 27th. Thus, now 40.6% of American travelers say they don’t have a leisure trip planned for the remainder of 2020.

Americans reported ability to be inspired to travel in the next three months—even under attractive conditions—has also declined with the worsening of the pandemic. While last week 35.0% of American travelers said they would be open to taking a trip they had not previously considered, this has fallen to 29.0% this week. There was also a significant increase in the percent of Americans who said there are certain destinations they would normally consider visiting but now will absolutely not due to the coronavirus situation—37.3% up from 29.6% in just one week. When asked what’s driving the avoidance of these destinations, rising coronavirus cases and the perceived unsatisfactory management of the situation, as well as the expected poor behavior of other tourists (more so than the locals) was most cited.

 

 

Nevertheless, there are many Americans who are still traveling or planning to. In fact, 16.5% took a trip for the Fourth of July holiday, more than double the percentage who traveled for Memorial Day (5.9%).

 

 

The profile of these travelers—younger, male, urban, affluent—may offer clues to travel’s near-term, as they have been tracking as more ready, open and marketable for travel. A notable percent of those who have or live with people who have a disability also traveled this Fourth of July holiday, perhaps underscoring travel’s status as a wellness activity.

 

 

Americans who already have a destination(s) in mind for their 2020 leisure travel plans continue to show an affinity for beaches (42.0%). Over a third of these travelers say they will visit a city this year and similarly, 32.0% say they will visit a small town or rural area. As hotels continue to be the most popular lodging types, when American travelers were asked about the operational practices that would make them feel most confident that the hotel is looking out for their health, hotel employees wearing masks and gloves topped the list. They also want the cleaning procedures clearly communicated, socially distancing enforced, and to be provided with hand sanitizer and masks.

 

 

A complimentary report of these key findings is available for you to download and share.
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Update on American Travel in the Period of Coronavirus—Week of June 29th

After consistently improving throughout May and early June, with the alarming rise in cases in some of the most popular and populous areas of the country, American travel sentiment has reversed course—now nearly 4 in 10 say they don’t have plans to travel for the remainder of 2020. Travel advertising, nevertheless, still has the ability to inspire happiness, particularly if it communicates many affordable, fun things to do in a safe, uncrowded destination.

 

 

IMPORTANT: These findings are brought to you from our independent research, which is not sponsored, conducted or influenced by any advertising or marketing agency. Every week since March 15th, Destination Analysts has surveyed 1,200+ American travelers about their thoughts, feelings, perceptions and behaviors surrounding travel in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, and explored a variety of topics. The findings presented below represent data collected June 26th-28th.

Key Findings to Know:

  • 60 percent of American travelers feel the pandemic is going to get worse in the US—up 10 percentage points in one week.
  • Trip cancellations for July and August jumped up, and now a high of 37.4% of American travelers say they have no trip plans for the remainder of 2020.
  • Three quarters of American travelers are supportive of 14-day quarantine policies for travelers from states with high incidences of coronavirus.
  • Despite the backslide in sentiment, 35% of American travelers say they would have at least some likelihood to take a leisure trip that they have not already considered if a good opportunity presented itself soon.
  • The most commonly important trip destination attributes are uncrowded, not-too-expensive, relaxing, and fun.
  • Over half of American travelers say that seeing a travel ad would make them feel happy.
  • The features of a travel ad that would inspire the most excitement right now include discounts, pricing, safety and things to do information, as well as beach images.

Much can change in two-weeks in the time of COVID-19. With the alarming recent rise in cases in the US, concerns regarding contracting the virus returned to the levels they were at the first of May—with over 70 percent expressing high levels of concern about personally or friends and family getting it. Financial safety concerns are also rising. The percent of American travelers who feel the pandemic is going to get worse in the US in the next month jumped to 60.6%, up 10 percentage points in just one week.

 

 

When it comes to travel, for the second straight week, the perceived safety of travel activities generally declined again, returning back to levels seen a month ago. As such, three quarters are supportive of existing or potential 14-day quarantine policies for travelers from states with high incidences of coronavirus. There is even three times as much support for mask enforcement policies as opposition. With the backslide in travel sentiment, excitement for near-term travel and openness to travel inspiration also further declined from the pandemic-period high recorded June 1st. Trip cancellations for July and August jumped up this week, and now 37.4 percent of American travelers say they have no trip plans for the remainder 2020. Nearly 30 percent say they will avoid destinations they would normally consider visiting for the remainder of the year, and over 60% of these travelers say it will be in the second half of next year or later before they will consider these destinations again. 40% are now saying they will put off their next air trip for at least a year from now, and 45.4% feel nervous going too far from home for a trip. Nearly 60% report feeling like they will simply enjoy travel more next year rather than this year.

Despite the backslide in travel sentiment, 35% of American travelers say they would have a least some likelihood to take a leisure trip that they have not already considered in the next three months if a good opportunity presented itself. In choosing the destinations they want to visit, 27.3% say it is essentially important that the destination be uncrowded—over 60% of American travelers report being nervous visiting destinations that might be crowded. Otherwise, the other attributes that remain most important are not too expensive, relaxing, and fun.

 

 

Travel advertising also still has the ability to inspire joy, with over half of American travelers saying that seeing a travel ad right now would make them feel happy. Compared to a month ago, travelers are more desiring of advertising tones that are friendly, fun and inspirational.

 

 

When asked to imagine an ideal travel ad and cite the features that would inspire the most excitement to travel right now, Americans most agreed on discounts, pricing, safety and things to do information, as well as beach images. Consider also that 55.4% say they will do a lot of extra planning before traveling in this environment.

 

 

A complimentary report of these key findings is available for you to download and share.
 
You can register for our online presentation of these findings Tuesday at 11:00am EST.
 
We appreciate your support of this research from our small but mighty team of devoted tourism researchers. If you would like further and deeper insights from the complete study, you can learn more here. Please consider donating or purchasing to support this research.
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Update on American Travel in the Period of Coronavirus—Week of June 22nd

Concerns about contracting COVID-19 have risen back up, but a majority of American travelers still plan to travel in this environment—even taking multiple trips in the remainder of this year. Meanwhile a perceived lack of appropriate pandemic-etiquette behaviors within their own communities is affecting people’s openness to tourists in town.

 

 

IMPORTANT: These findings are brought to you from our independent research, which is not sponsored, conducted or influenced by any advertising or marketing agency. Every week since March 15th, Destination Analysts has surveyed 1,200+ American travelers about their thoughts, feelings, perceptions and behaviors surrounding travel in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, and explored a variety of topics. The findings presented below represent data collected June 19th-21st.

Key Findings to Know:

With cases rising in several areas of the country, Americans concern about personally or friends/family contracting COVID-19 increased this week. Now half of American travelers feel the coronavirus situation will get worse in the US in the next month and less than 20% feel it will get better. Americans’ perceived safety of various travel activities also worsened this week, returning to the levels they were at 3 weeks ago, and this has caused some to reverse their their travel readiness. However, the increase in outbreaks has not appeared to further rattle their sense of financial security, as concerns about the virus’ impact on their personal finances and the national economy decreased. Baby Boomers do not feel as threatened by the virus in terms of their personal finances, but have graver concerns about its effect on the national economy.

 

 

The disproportionate havoc the pandemic has wreaked on travel can be seen in what activities Americans have been committing their leisure time to relative to their pre-COVID 19 lifestyle priorities. Prior to the outbreak, 6 in 10 said that leisure travel was among their highest lifestyle priorities—only behind spending time with family. Yet only 12% report having done any leisure travel in the past month. Meanwhile, Americans have been busying themselves with activities that were far likelier to be a low priority in their lifestyles prior to COVID-19, from gardening to social media.

 

 

The coronavirus outbreak also continues to adversely impact trips, with a notable increase this week in pandemic-related trip cancellations in the fall months due to the coronavirus. But there are indicators that these trips may be replaced with other travel. A month ago, 25% of American travelers said the would avoid all travel in the six month period after coronavirus; now just 7% say that. The average American traveler reports they will take 1.8 road trips and 1.0 trip by commercial airline by the end of the year. Excitement to take a trip in the next month increased from last week, as did openness to travel inspiration. Given this openness, travelers currently say they are most receptive to destination marketing in searches and social.

 

 

Meanwhile, a perceived lack of appropriate pandemic-etiquette behaviors within their own communities is affecting people’s openness to tourists in town. While many American travelers have felt positive emotions around the reopening of the economy, anxiety and frustration remain present.

 

 

After reaching a nine-week low last week, the percent of American travelers who say they do not want visitors coming to their own community right now returned to 56.8%. As shown in the infographic below, observing unsafe behavior by their fellow residents appears to contribute to this sentiment. Trust in people to behave safely should increase comfort in travel and tourism overall.

 

 

A presentation file summarizing these key findings is available for you to download and share.
 
You can register for our online presentation of these findings Tuesday at 11:00am EST.
 
We appreciate your support of this research from our small but mighty team of devoted tourism researchers. If you would like further and deeper insights from the complete study, you can learn more here. Please consider donating or purchasing to support this research.
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Update on American Travel in the Period of Coronavirus—Week of June 15th

As Americans begin to travel again, many are feeling drawn to destinations they are familiar with, rather than the siren of exploration.

 

 

IMPORTANT: These findings are brought to you from our independent research, which is not sponsored, conducted or influenced by any advertising or marketing agency. Every week since March 15th, Destination Analysts has surveyed 1,200+ American travelers about their thoughts, feelings, perceptions and behaviors surrounding travel in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. The findings presented below represent data collected June 12th-14th.

Key Findings to Know:

  • Expectations about the virus’ course have dampened.
  • Still, nearly 70 percent will take at least one leisure trip this year.
  • The majority of American travelers feel they are informed about potential Coronavirus-related risks involved with traveling.
  • American travelers generally give a thumbs up to the hotel and airline industries’ communication about measures they are taking to protect consumers.
  • Some 4 in 10 American travelers remain lacking in confidence that they can travel safely in the current environment.
  • A majority of Americans who will be traveling in 2020 say they will avoid crowded destinations.
  • Many travelers are feeling drawn to destinations they are familiar with, rather than the siren of exploration.
  • Poor “pandemic etiquette” behavior, which is then outed in media, will indeed adversely affect the desirability of and aspiration for travel destinations.

As a number of coronavirus outbreaks have recently emerged, expectations about the virus’ course in the United States have dampened. The optimism gap has widened again, with more Americans expecting the situation to get worse and fewer expecting it will get better. Some travelers that thought they would take trips this year have walked that back for now—this week there is an uptick in Americans saying they have no plans to travel in 2020 (although, about 70 percent still say they will take at least one leisure trip this year).

 

 

The majority of American travelers feel they are informed about potential Coronavirus-related risks involved with traveling. Heightened feelings of being informed are correlated to increased travel confidence. Still, some 4 in 10 American travelers remain lacking in confidence that they can travel safely in the current environment.

 

 

How do traveling consumers currently rate the travel industry’s performance in communicating measures they have taken to keep travelers safe from this coronavirus? While it is understood that the hotel, airline and cruise industries don’t necessarily speak in collective voices, overall the hotel industry is seen as generally doing a good job communicating, and a majority also rate the airline industry highly. The cruise industry appears to need more widespread communication about their evolving health and safety practices. Those travelers who demonstrate high degrees of travel readiness rate the communication of the travel industry much better.

 

 

In terms of the deeper impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on travel behaviors—at least in the near-term—a majority of Americans who will be traveling in 2020 say they will avoid cruises and crowded destinations.

 

 

In addition many travelers are feeling drawn to destinations they are familiar with, rather than the siren of exploration. Over 60 percent said it was likely that the primary destination of their next leisure trip is one they have visited before. When asked about their interest in visiting destinations for the first time versus destinations they are familiar with, 37.7 percent reported that, in the current environment, destinations they are familiar with are more—or much more—appealing.

 

 

Finally, poor “pandemic etiquette” behavior by others—and a perceived lack of official control over tempering that behavior—which is then outed in media will indeed adversely affect the desirability of and aspiration for travel destinations. When asked to think of a destination they are interested in visiting, then imagine if they saw saw media coverage of that destination being crowded or people not maintaining appropriate distance from each other, and then asked how that would affect their interest in visiting, 61.2 percent of American travelers said it would consequently make them less or much less interested in visiting that destination. This week, two-thirds of American travelers report seeing such kinds of coverage in the media.

A presentation file summarizing these key findings is available for you to download and share.
 
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Update on American Travel in the Period of Coronavirus—Week of June 8th

More Americans feel ready to travel and are exhibiting strong conviction about their upcoming travel plans, although safety remains an integral part of their trip decision-making process.

 

 

IMPORTANT: These findings are brought to you from our independent research, which is not sponsored, conducted or influenced by any advertising or marketing agency. Every week since March 15th, Destination Analysts has surveyed 1,200+ American travelers about their thoughts, feelings, perceptions and behaviors surrounding travel in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. The findings presented below represent data collected June 5th-7th.

Key Findings to Know:

  • American travelers’ feelings about their health, financial and travel safety continue to improve.
  • More Americans report they are already traveling or ready to travel.
  • 70 percent will take at least one leisure trip in the remainder of 2020.
  • Over three-quarters have a developed sense of where and when their next leisure trip will take place and the majority say there is little chance of cancellation.
  • 40 percent say their next road trip will take place this Summer.
  • Safety considerations are still important to travelers’ decision-making, from which destination they choose to visit to the hotels they select.
  • Younger generations are likelier to use a diverse set of social media and digital tools for their trip research, while Baby Boomers are more likely to concentrate their travel research activity on web searches.
  • Four in ten conventions/conference travelers would be happy to attend a convention in the Fall.

American travelers’ feelings about their health and financial safety continue to improve and perceptions of the safety of travel related activities are now better than they were in mid-March.

 

 

More Americans report they are already traveling or feel ready to travel compared to last week, and 70 percent continue to say they will take at least one leisure trip in the remainder of this year. Younger travelers —those in the Millennial and GenZ generations—and travelers in the Southern U.S. continue to be most excited to travel in the next month and open to travel inspiration.

Americans are also exhibiting conviction about their leisure travel plans, rather than tentativeness. In looking at their next leisure trip, over three-quarters (76.4%) have a developed sense of where and when this travel will take place. There is also a notable degree of confidence that this trip will happen, in spite of coronavirus issues that may arise: 52.4% say there is absolutely no—or only a slight—chance they will cancel this next trip. Nevertheless, safety considerations are still important to travelers’ decision-making, from which destination they choose for this trip, to their selection of lodging and transportation options. The majority of American travelers continue to opt for beach, outdoor and rural type experiences for their next leisure trips.

 

 

For their research and planning of this next trip, American travelers are now largely looking directly to travel providers and travel content producers rather than sources like the CDC—perhaps an additional display of their confidence about navigating the coronavirus situation. Younger generations are likelier to use a diverse set of social media and digital tools for their travel research for this next trip, while Baby Boomers are more likely to concentrate their travel research activity on web searches.

 

 

Many American travelers continue to say their next road trip will be this summer, with 40% listing June, July or August as their timing. About half that number say their next trip by air will occur in the summer; 30% say their the next commercial airline trip will be September or later in 2020, with the remainder putting it off until 2021 or later. This week, an increased number of Americans reported they have at least tentative leisure trip plans in the months of June, August, October, November and December.

To understand how employee feelings may play into when business and convention travel return, this week a series of questions were asked to gauge emotions around this type of travel in the Summer and Fall. Nearly half of employed Americans reported they would be unhappy if their employer asked them to take an out-of-state business trip in July; meanwhile, about a quarter would be happy to. However, 40.8% of those that typically travel for conventions and conferences said they would be happy if they were asked to attend a convention in the Fall (35.3% said they would be unhappy). As of this week, 25.0% of convention/conference travelers say they have at least a tentative plan to attend a group meeting in the remainder of 2020.

 

 

A presentation file summarizing these key findings is available for you to download and share.
 
You can register for our online presentation of these findings Tuesday at 11:00am EST.
 
We appreciate your support of this research from our small but mighty team of devoted tourism researchers. If you would like further and deeper insights from the complete study, you can learn more here. Please consider donating or purchasing to support this research.
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Update on American Travel in the Period of Coronavirus—Week of June 1st

Americans continue to exhibit signs of feeling safer and have the travel plans to prove it.

 

 

IMPORTANT: These findings are brought to you from our independent research, which is not sponsored, conducted or influenced by any advertising or marketing agency. Every week since March 15th, Destination Analysts has surveyed 1,200+ American travelers about their thoughts, feelings, perceptions and behaviors surrounding travel in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. The findings presented below represent data collected May 29th-31st.

Key Findings to Know:

  • Americans continue to exhibit greater feelings of safety, including towards travel.
  • One in five are already traveling or ready to travel with no hesitations. These Americans have less concerns surrounding the virus, and are more likely to prioritize having new experiences in their lives.
  • Openness to travel inspiration and excitement to take a getaway in the next month jumped up this week.
  • The proportion of American travelers who have at least tentative trip plans in 2020 grew to nearly 7-in-10 and Americans’ next air and road trips will be sooner than they reported last week.
  • Travel is commonly seen as integral to health and wellness.
  • Road trips, staying at a beach resort, and visiting national and other parks are among the highest rated relaxing travel experiences.
  • American travelers are also getting more comfortable with tourists in their own communities.

Americans continue to exhibit greater feelings of safety, including in their perceptions of travel activities.

One in five are now already traveling or ready to travel with no hesitations. These Americans have less concerns about the impact of the virus, are more optimistic about its course. They are more likely to prioritize having new experiences in their lives and seek joy and relaxation. Conversely, these travelers are less likely to avoid long haul travel and be motivated by a staycation message. They are also more likely to be Caucasian and between 41 and 55 years old (GenX).

 

 

Openness to travel inspiration and excitement to take a getaway in the next month jumped up this week, plus Americans’ next air and road trips will be sooner than they were reporting last week. The proportion of American travelers who have at least tentative trip plans in 2020 grew to nearly 70 percent, and the months of July through November saw increases in the percent of travelers reporting they have plans in them.

 

 

What’s motivating the return to travel? It appears that travel is commonly seen as integral to health and wellness, with two-thirds of those prioritizing their emotional well-being and finding joy in their lives saying that leisure travel will be important in helping them do so. The majority of Americans who are prioritizing their stress management think that vacations are a good way to do so. What’s stressing them out? Worries about coronavirus first, then work and their finances.

After spending time with friends and family, road trips, staying at a beach resort, and visiting national and other parks are among the highest rated relaxing travel experiences.

 

 

Not only are American travelers feeling safer going out in their own communities they are also getting more comfortable with tourists in town. Three in ten even say they would be happy to see an advertisement promoting their community as a place for tourism.

A presentation file summarizing these key findings is available for you to download and share.
 
You can register for our online presentation of these findings Tuesday at 11:00am EST.
 
We appreciate your support of this research from our small but mighty team of devoted tourism researchers. If you would like further and deeper insights from the complete study, you can learn more here. Please consider donating or purchasing to support this research.
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Update on American Travel in the Period of Coronavirus—Week of May 25th

American travelers continue a slow march towards feeling safer, but the COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc on the industry’s future—far worse than what was seen in the Great Recession.

 

 

IMPORTANT: These findings are brought to you from our independent research, which is not sponsored, conducted or influenced by any advertising or marketing agency. Every week since March 15th, Destination Analysts has surveyed 1,200+ American travelers about their thoughts, feelings, perceptions and behaviors surrounding travel in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. The findings presented below represent data collected May 22nd-24th.

Key Findings to Know:

  • American travelers continue a slow march towards feeling safer.
  • The pandemic has wreaked havoc on the industry’s future, with significant declines in American travel intentions, spending and sentiments from January 2020—and worse than what was seen in the Great Recession.
  • Air travel, non-private transportation and indoor attractions are seen as the least safe aspects of the common travel journey.
  • A majority of travelers still do not yet feel that either a hotel or Airbnb/vacation home rental experience are safe right now.
  • Only 5.9% reported taking a Memorial Day weekend trip.
  • Younger travelers will very likely be key to many destinations’ and travel providers’ recovery.

American travelers continue their slow march towards feeling safer. This week brought another improvement in their concerns about personally contracting the virus (6.6/10), their friends or family contracting it (7.0/10, an 11-week low), the impact the virus has on their personal finances (6.4/10—near the level it was the week of March 15) and its impact on the national economy (7.8/10, the lowest its been since March 15). Perceptions of the safety of various travel activities are nearing what was recorded the week of March 15th when we began this measurement (and before the most dramatic drop in safety perceptions, which occurred between March 15 and 22nd). The proportion agreeing they are going to avoid all travel until the coronavirus situation is blown over in their mind is also near the level it was March 15th (61.1%). Opinion that the coronavirus situation will get better in the U.S. in the next month again increased from the dip seen the week of May 8th (32.3%).

 

 

However, these improvements remain gradual and incremental, and the travel industry still shows a long journey back to where it was. (Important Note: To see the profound impact the COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked on the travel industry, you can find a full summary comparing American travel intentions, spending and sentiments in January 2020 to this week of May 25th—as well as to the Great Recession and back to 2006—here) In addition to the significant drops in expected trip volume and spending on travel, this week the percent saying they will take a staycation rather than a vacation this summer (57.6%) and the percent saying they are going to wait until 2021 to travel again (32.6%) both reached a high.

Health and safety remain central to this measured outlook and behaviors toward travel, and this is profoundly seen in current perceptions of air travel. Over one-third of airline travelers still characterize traveling onboard an airplane as “very unsafe” (and another quarter say it is “somewhat unsafe”). While they show lesser concerns about the boarding gate/waiting areas and TSA security checkpoints, many Americans are looking to put off their next air trip until 2021 or later.

 

 

It’s imperative to the industry’s recovery that travelers feel they will be safe in every aspect of their journey, and certainly travel industry related businesses are working hard to ensure this is a reality. To examine where the strongest points of resistance may be and/or which experiences may need more safety guidelines communicated, we asked travelers to rate what they feel are the TOP THREE most unsafe components of a common travel experience. Right now, taking public transportation, traveling onboard the airplane, visiting indoor attractions in their trip destination, and traveling in taxis/Ubers/Lyfts are most agreed upon as the least safe aspects of a potential trip.

 

 

Although lodging was not as commonly chosen as the least safe aspect of a typical trip, it is important to understand the degree to which travelers are feeling they will be safe at Airbnbs/vacation home rentals (often perceived as easier to socially distance but without the formalized levels of housekeeping/sanitation) and hotels (often perceived as being more difficult to avoid other travelers but with the ability to enact strict sanitation protocols). Staying in a hotel is currently perceived as safe by 27.6% of American travelers and staying in an Airbnb/vacation home rental by 21.3%. Note that younger travelers are much more trusting of Airbnb/vacation home rental safety compared to older travelers.

With Memorial Day weekend traditionally considered the (un)official start of the summer travel season–and now the first national holiday celebrated during the COVID-19 pandemic, but with all 50 states under loosened restrictions, this made for an interesting study. Did Americans, in fact, travel? As of the morning of May 24th—the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend 2020—just 5.9% of American travelers reported they were taking a trip this holiday. Of those that went on a trip, 42.7% made the decision to take it within the last week. Similarly, a recent Harris Poll conducted about Memorial Day travel plans found that 95% of the American population believed it was too soon to travel. In addition, AAA declined to put out its annual Memorial Day travel estimate citing COVID-19’s impact on the accuracy of their data, but expected it to be a record low in their two decades of this forecast.

 

 

Younger travelers will very likely be key to many destinations’ and travel providers’ recovery. Last week we reported that Millennial travelers will be at the forefront of the industry’s recovery, due to their relatively higher sense of safety for themselves and travel activities, combined with the ability to motivate them to travel with discounts —things that we continue to see this week. Nearly 40 percent of Millennial travelers report they will make travel at least a somewhat high priority in their lifestyle—double the number of Baby Boomers who said the same—and plan to spend $3,000 on leisure travel in the next three months–$1,000 more than Baby Boomers report. They also plan to visit a more diverse set of destinations in the next year.

A presentation file summarizing these key findings is available for you to download and share.
 
You can register for our online presentation of these findings—including a panel discussion with travelers from states who were first to re-open their economies—Tuesday at 11:00am EST.
 
We appreciate your support of this research from our small but mighty team of devoted tourism researchers. If you would like further and deeper insights from the complete study, you can learn more here. Please consider donating or purchasing to support this research.
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To make sure you receive notifications of our latest findings, you can sign up here.
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If you need shareable graphics, content for presentations, video presentations and more, please visit our COVID-19 Insights Media page here.
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Update on American Travel in the Period of Coronavirus—Week of May 18th

As Americans gradually open back up to travel, they are making plans for their trips—the likes of which include beaches, parks, social distancing and hand sanitizer.

 

 

IMPORTANT: These findings are brought to you from our independent research, which is not sponsored, conducted or influenced by any advertising or marketing agency. Every week since March 15th, Destination Analysts has surveyed 1,200+ American travelers about their thoughts, feelings, perceptions and behaviors surrounding travel in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. The findings presented below represent data collected May 15th-17th.

Key Findings to Know:

  • American travelers are demonstrating increased comfort with (or in spite of) their concerns surrounding COVID-19.
  • Feelings about the virus and travel are not uniform–geographically, demographically or psychograpically.
  • American travelers are opening back up to attending conferences and conventions.
  • Travel planning is happening.
  • Marketing could be effective in swaying travelers to choose a specific destination.
  • Travelers need destination-level information on safety.
  • Rural residents are the least comfortable with tourists presently, setting up potential tensions with travelers desiring the types of assets found in these places.
  • Travel remains recognized for its positive emotional benefits for families.

American travelers are demonstrating increased comfort with, or in spite of, their concerns surrounding COVID-19. Personal concerns about contracting the virus (6.7/10), its impact on their personal finances (6.5/10) and the national economy (7.9/10) remained constant over the last two weeks. However, the proportion comfortable going out to engage in activities in their own community is at a 9-week high (32.2%), and the percent saying they are avoiding travel until the coronavirus situation is over has fallen back to the level it was March 15th. Increasing numbers of Americans are feeling it’s safe to go shopping (36.0%), visit friends and relatives (43.5%), take a road trip (49.3%) and engage in (non-team) outdoor recreational activities (56.9%).

Of course, feelings about the virus and travel are not uniform. About a quarter of American travelers remain committed to avoiding travel until the coronavirus situation has definitively passed—These travelers’ concerns about themselves and others contracting the virus are much greater, and they more likely to be female and to have graduate degrees. Meanwhile, travelers in the Midwest and South have the relatively least concerns about the virus, are most optimistic that the coronavirus situation will stay the same or improve in the next month and demonstrate the most agreement that they will be traveling in the Fall. In contrast, travelers in the Northeast are much more likely to say they are going to take a staycation this summer (62.6% compared to average of 54.1%) and avoid international travel (80.0%) in response to COVID-19. Millennial and GenZ travelers express a greater sense of safety. Their levels of excitement to travel within the next month and interest in learning about travel destinations are notably higher than Baby Boomers. Millennials and GenZ travelers can be particularly motivated to travel by price-cuts and discounts (45.6%).

 

 

American travelers are opening back up to attending conferences and conventions. While the perceived safety of conferences and conventions remains depressed, it has improved since the lows recorded in the first half of April. The percent of conference/convention travelers saying they are avoiding these events until the coronavirus situation is resolved is at a 9-week low (67.5%), with travelers in the West demonstrating greater optimism about attending such events. Right now, 64.5% of conference/convention travelers trust the hosting organizations to look out for their health, while 60.7% say they trust their fellow attendees will conduct themselves appropriately to protect against the spread of viruses.

Americans are starting to plan travel. Of the 64.1% of American travelers who have one or more trips at least tentatively planned this year, seven in ten have taken some action towards their very next trip, including researching things to see and do (23.3%) and making hotel/lodging reservations (22.4%).

 

 

Over half of these travelers describe their next trip as a vacation or weekend getaway (54.4%), 27.7% say their next trip will be for the explicit purpose of visit friends and relatives, and 13.4% will travel to attend a festival, sports or other event. Of those who will take a vacation or getaway, over half are still not fully decided on where they will go and could be potentially influenced through marketing. Beaches, parks and other natural environments appear particularly attractive to this group right now.

 

 

No matter the type of trip, three-quarters of Americans who plan to travel this year will research how the destination they visit and its businesses are managing the coronavirus situation—demonstrating the need for destination-level information on safety. A majority of these travelers plan to carry hand sanitizer, follow social distancing guidelines, avoid crowds, and wear a face mask on their trips. Right now, only 44.5% of these travelers are confident that travel businesses can open safely although a larger 59.4% trust travel-related businesses to look out for patrons’ health while traveling.

 

 

When it comes to visitors in their own communities, the percent of American travelers who say they don’t want them remains high (60.2%), but is at a 4-week low. Rural residents are the least comfortable with tourists presently (66.3%), followed by urban (64.0%) and suburban (56.9%) residents. With travelers showing a desire for the type of tourism assets most commonly associated with a rural experience, some tensions may arise.

Nevertheless, travel is still recognized for its positive emotional benefits. For those American travelers under shelter-in-place orders, 59.1% feel that traveling together when the Coronavirus situation is over would be good for their family.

A presentation file summarizing these key findings is available for you to download.
 
We appreciate your support of this research from our small but mighty team of devoted tourism researchers. If you would like further and deeper insights from the complete study, you can learn more here. Please consider donating or purchasing to support this research.
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To make sure you receive notifications of our latest findings, you can sign up here.
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If you need shareable graphics, content for presentations, video presentations and more, please visit our COVID-19 Insights Media page here.
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Update on Coronavirus’ Impact on American Travel—Week of May 11th

Americans’ caution-led feelings and plans for travel for the remainder of the year highlight the challenge travel providers face in devising their near-term strategies. But seeing your travel destination advertising online can inspire joy.

 

 

IMPORTANT: These findings are brought to you from our independent research, which is not sponsored, conducted or influenced by any advertising or marketing agency. Every week since March 15th, Destination Analysts has surveyed 1,200+ American travelers about their thoughts, feelings, perceptions and behaviors surrounding travel in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. The findings presented below represent data collected May 8th-10th.

Key Findings to Know:

  • American Travelers are Feeling More Comfortable but Not Necessarily Confident, with Women and Baby Boomers More Cautious
  • Many May Be Waiting to Assess the Experience of the Early (Re)Adopters to Travel
  • Caution-Led Feelings about Travel and Trip Plans Make Estimating Potential Trip Volume Over the Summer More Challenging
  • Travel Ads Deliver Joy, Especially in the Right—Primarily Social/Digital–Setting
  • Travelers are Exhibiting Strong Trust in DMOs for the Information They Need to Travel Safely
  • New Protocols Inspire Safety, with Some Anxiety

Americans travelers are feeling more comfortable this week, but not necessarily more confident. American travelers’ feelings about COVID-19’s impact on their personal finances (6.5/10) and national economy (7.9/10) is at an 8-week low. However, optimism that coronavirus will get better in the U.S. in the next month dipped to a 4-week low. Women and Boomer travelers continue to exhibit more elevated levels of caution around the virus and travel. Nevertheless, the percent of American travelers who feel they will avoid travel until coronavirus is resolved continues to slowly decline (64.8%), and the perceived safety of flying on a commercial airline, staying in a hotel, dining in restaurants and visiting attractions continues to improve from lows seen in early April.

 

 

Many American travelers may be waiting to assess the experiences of the early (re)adopters to travel. Nearly 7 in 10 say they miss vacationing a lot–their heart aches for it. Over half say they miss the very act of planning travel. However the vast majority still say they will approach travel with trepidation as they think about starting again.

 

 

Americans’ caution-led feelings and plans for travel for the remainder of the year highlight the challenge travel providers face in devising their near-term strategies. This week, 36.0% of American travelers report having one or more trips planned between now and the end of August. But 45.3% estimate they will end up taking their next road trip in this same period (and 20.1% their next air trip) suggesting higher trip volumes potentially on the horizon. Americans estimate the distance of their next road trip to be 423 miles on average, although 43.2% report it will be under 200 miles.

Travel advertising can deliver joy, especially in the right setting. This week, 17.8% of American travelers recall seeing a travel destination ad within the past month and 56.3% say the most recent travel ad they saw made them feel happy. This feeling was particularly pronounced among Millennials. Over 85 percent of Millennial and GenZ travelers–and 7 in 10 GenX and Boomer travelers—cite a digital resource as where they will be most receptive to a travel messaging reaching them, with social media powerhouses like Instagram and Facebook as well as search engine marketing appearing the likeliest means for meeting travelers where they are. Email also looks to be one of the best ways to reach all ages of travelers in a state of openness to travel messaging.Travelers would like destinations to speak to them in an honest (59’.0%) but friendly (39.6%) tone in advertising.

 

 

 

 

Travelers are exhibiting strong trust in official destination marketing organizations. When asked about the resources they would trust to provide the information needed to travel safely, official state tourism offices and local visitors bureaus were cited second behind friends and family.

In reaction to new safety protocols being introduced, seeing crews disinfecting an airplane, temperature checks being performed at airports and masks on restaurant staff largely increase travelers feelings of personal safety; although they stimulate some anxiety, as well.

 

 

A presentation file summarizing these key findings is available for you to download.
 
We appreciate your support of this research from our small but mighty team of devoted tourism researchers. If you would like further and deeper insights from the complete study, you can learn more here. Please consider donating or purchasing to support this research.
…
To make sure you receive notifications of our latest findings, you can sign up here.
…
If you need shareable graphics, content for presentations, video presentations and more, please visit our COVID-19 Insights Media page here.
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