Over Half of Americans Planning At Least One “Micro-Cation” This Summer

According to this year’s 14th annual “Vacation Confidence Index”—the latest survey from Allianz Partners USA—Americans are looking to take quick getaways this summer, favoring a “micro-cation” versus the traditional week-long vacation. The “Vacation Confidence Index” has been conducted each summer since 2010 by national polling firm Ipsos Public Affairs on behalf of Allianz Partners USA.

Since coining the term in 2019, the travel insurance and assistance company has followed Americans’ intent to take a “micro-cation,” defined as a leisure trip at least 100 miles away from home that’s four nights or fewer in duration. For this survey, a sample of 2,011 Americans aged 18 and up was interviewed from May 2 to 4, 2022, via the Ipsos Online Omnibus. According to this year’s “Vacation Confidence Index,” over half of respondents (53 percent) say their next vacation will be a micro-cation and almost a quarter (23 percent, up two points from last year) are planning multiple micro-vacations, or “multi micro-cations”—a new travel trend identified in last year’s “Vacation Confidence Index.”

Seven in 10 (71 percent, up from 67 percent last year) Americans will travel away from home between now and September for at least one night, and four in 10 (39 percent, up from 34 percent last year) are planning multiple trips away from home this summer. In addition, the average number of trips Americans anticipate taking away from home this summer is 1.4, up from 1.2 last year. Younger Americans, between 18-34 years (44 percent) and men (40 percent) are leading the multiple trips trend, planning two or more between now and September.

14th annual Vacation Confidence Index

The survey also revealed how spending habits change based on the duration of the trip. For one-night micro-cationers, the average anticipated spend is $606; for travelers planning a two-night getaway, the average is $410 per night. The anticipated average spend declines for three- and four-night micro-cationers, with a $325 average per night and $323 average per night, respectively.

Source: Allianz Partners USA

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