Summer Travel Surge Booms with Post-Pandemic Trips
Temperatures are rising, and summer getaways are calling. The post-pandemic travel boom is real!
With almost 90% of the population looking to travel this summer, destinations continue to prepare for unprecedent demand fueled by high vaccination rates and a reduction in coronavirus case numbers nationally.
Summer Travel Heats Up
In fact, 87% of American travelers expect to take a trip this summer, according to a survey conducted last week by travel market research company Destination Analysts.
“The demand for travel is in full swing,” said Scott’s Cheap Flights founder Scott Keyes in a recent story for ABC News. He said searches to popular destinations like Hawaii and Cancun are not just higher now. They are significantly higher than two years ago before the pandemic.
At least 90% of American travelers currently have plans booked, according to Destination Analysts. Of those people, 75% plan to travel in the next three months.
Another trend in travel: last-minute bookings. Top domestic tourist destinations like Las Vegas, Chicago, and Los Angeles continue to see over half of hotel bookings made within 48 hours of arrival on the popular platform Hopper, according to ABC News.
Photo Credit: Disneyland
More than half of travelers are also selecting to stay within 200 miles of home, Hopper told ABC News. “Staycations” appear to be a trend that will stick around long after the pandemic ends.
International Travel Returns
It is not just domestic travel seizing the moment!
Image Credit: Adventures by Disney
Fueling the boom even further are trips to international locations, including Iceland and Croatia. Many countries continue to open for travel, looking to capitalize on this unprecedent urge to travel.
Airlines are expected to increase flights to these countries as well with Delta annoucing a debut flight to Croatia.
Image Credit: Disney
American Airlines increased flights to Cancun during the holiday rush and continues to see travel to Latin America catch up to pre-pandemic levels.
Travel on the Brain
Photo Credit: Videvo.net
The trend is not entirely summer-driven. In fact, Transportation Security Administration data shows that more than a million people have travelled through U.S. airports every day since Spring Break began in early March.
On the minds of travelers now: budget. In another Destination Analyst survey, 75% of people said that they are more safety-conscious, and 45% of travlers feel that they are now more budget conscious.
Image Credit: Orange County Florida “I Got My Shot” Website
According to the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy, 70 percent of the country’s population needs to have immunity to coronavirus to stop the spread of COVID-19 throughout communities.
Currently, over 35% of the country is fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Another 147 million people are well on their way.
Adolescents aged 12-15 received FDA emergency use approval this week to receive the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. With another 5% of the population eligible for vaccination, the country is poised to make a swift return to many popular vacation destinations.
Image Credit: Matt Stroshane, photographer
Walt Disney World also announced further reductions in COVD-19 protocol recently. A reduction in physical distancing measures and an elimination of temperature checks begins this month. Disney’s After Hours Boo Bash will also brings a sense of normalcy back to fall festivities at the parks.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention still suggests to avoid travel until you are fully vaccinated.
