UStiA Predicts Strong Domestic Travel Demand

airplaneSixty-one percent of Americans say they will travel in 2014, taking an average of 2.4 vacation trips, according to a survey conducted for the US Travel Insurance Association (UStiA). Of those traveling, nearly 70 percent said they will take one to two trips next year, with another 30 percent reporting three or more trips.

Not surprisingly, UStiA says people with higher incomes are more likely to travel. Nearly three-quarters (73%) of those earning $50,000 and over plan to take at least one vacation trip 100 miles or more away from home, while 46 percent of those earning under $50,000 also plan to travel.

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When it comes to educational level, 70 percent of respondents with college degrees said they will travel in 2014, compared to 56 percent for those without degrees. As for marital status, 70 percent of married respondents plan to take a trip in the next year, compared to 52 percent for unmarried individuals.

Most will travel domestically, UStiA reports. Eighty-five percent of those traveling said they will vacation within the U.S. and Canada, with 15 percent planning to travel outside the continental U.S.  

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Those vacationing within the U.S. and Canada were almost equally divided as to how far they will travel. Twenty-eight percent said they will travel between 100 – 500 miles away from home, 29 percent will be traveling between 500 – 1,000 miles away, and 28 percent vacationing 1,000 miles or more. Of households with children, 65 percent said they would travel 1,000 miles or less from home.

 
The poll of 1,000 randomly-selected participants was conducted online by Ipsos for UStiA, and is considered accurate to within +/- 3.5 percent.  A vacation trip was defined as traveling 100 miles or more from home. 

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