Americans still intend to book travel—that’s according to Apple Leisure Group (ALG) based on research it conducted from its VAX VacationAccess search information and other major studies.
While almost 80 percent of U.S. consumer surveyed by the University of Florida Crisis Management Initiative, 78 percent had cancelled a trip as a result of coronavirus (COVID-19), just under half (46 percent) planned to rebook those plans. Another 31 percent are unsure about rebooking.
ALG adds that, in the short-term, domestic travel will likely recover sooner than international travel. In the four surveys (taken weekly between March 16 and April 13), U.S. consumer sentiment has largely remained the same: About half (ranging from 46 to 54 percent) said they would travel anywhere in the U.S. in the next three months. About one-quarter (23 to 31 percent) said they would only travel within 20 miles of home (showing that road trips, in particular, could be the first form of travel); this was consistently the second largest group. “Anywhere in the world” came in third in each survey, with 13 to 16 percent of respondents picking this option; “Only in North America” was last each survey, with 8 to 11 percent of respondents saying so.
In additional research, also by the University of Florida Crisis Management Initiative, while the TCMI Travel Anxiety Index rose from February 11 through April 6, it declined drastically from April 6 to April 13.
“You can be sure that after several weeks of living with safety precautions due to COVID-19, vacationers will have a close eye on safety precautions and protocols when making decisions on where to travel,” ALG said. It adds, according to the COVID-19 Travel Insight Report, “when given the choice between a hot travel deal and a vacation with clear safety protocols, travelers said they would ‘first and foremost seek personal safety before committing to travel.’"
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