Destination Analysts

Update on Coronavirus’ Impact on American Travel–Week of March 22nd

 

 

As COVID-19 spreads, so does its devastation on how Americans feel about travel. In the latest wave of Destination Analysts’ Coronavirus Travel Sentiment tracking study (collected March 20-22), nearly two-thirds (64.3%) of the 1,200+ American leisure and business travelers surveyed said their travel had been upended by the virus. This is up 20 percentage points from just one week prior and nearly six times what it was on February 22nd.


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Unfortunately, this impact appears to have resulted in more cancelled—rather than postponed—trips. As shown in the graphic below, 63.0% of American travelers who had travel affected by coronavirus have cancelled a trip (up from 55.1% on week prior), while the percent reporting they have postponed a trip has declined from 51.0% to 46.7%. Other reported impacts on travel—such as changing destinations–have not yet been significant.
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One of the most challenging findings from this week’s survey is that the percent of American travelers optimistic the coronavirus situation will be resolved by the summer travel season has declined to 37.5%, down from 52.5% last week. What was seemingly a glimmer of hope just a week ago has been diminished.

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One of the key factors in this week’s results are Baby Boomer travelers who, within a few days time, have gone from the generation reporting the least impact to their travel to the generation most impacted.  A week ago, 38.2% of Boomer travelers reported their travel had been affected by the coronavirus situation, a figure that has dramatically risen to 73.1%. And while 51.0% of Boomer travelers agreed last week that the coronavirus situation would be resolved by the summer travel season; now just 28.2% feel that way. 

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We look forward to the time when such results are less sobering. Fellow travel and hospitality professionals, please know our hearts join yours in hope for the speediest recovery of our beloved industry.

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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 about purchasing here.
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