As the weather in most parts of the country begins to warm, Americans are starting to make their travel plans for the spring and summer seasons. What does American travel planning look like with Memorial Day now just a few weeks away?
Here are three leading insights from the CivicScience Spring Travel Report, which clients receive in full.
1. Persistent inflation is not enough to quell Americans’ intent to travel.
While 37% of Americans have either cut back or plan to reduce travel spending, that percentage is down significantly from 46% in May 2022. In contrast, recent CivicScience data indicate an increasing desire to travel, with 56% of respondents planning to go on a trip in the next month, nearly matching the figures from last April.
Interestingly, more than half (52%) of those looking to cut back on travel spending also plan to travel within the next month – the highest percentage seen among this group since August 2022 and four percentage points higher than that of April 2022.
Over one-third (36%) of travelers will stay at a hotel, surpassing staying with friends or family (16%) and vacation rentals (15%) like Airbnb as the most popular accommodation option.
2. Cost-effective trips lead the way for future vacation plans.
Inflation may not be slowing intent, but it does appear to shape the type of trip planned. For instance, prices for hotel rooms can be a sore point, and that doesn’t appear likely to ease significantly during the spring and summer travel season. Prices for flights also have travelers feeling hesitant about air travel. These are likely key factors contributing to the top two choices for planned travel – ‘visiting family/friends’ and ‘road trip’ – particularly among travelers looking to limit travel costs.
3. Travel is harder to come by for fully in-person workers.
Although the pandemic’s impact on consumer behavior is waning, the travel industry still faces lasting effects. How Americans balance work and travel is one noteworthy example. CivicScience data indicate that 63% of employed Americans work exclusively in-person, and these individuals are far more likely than other types of workers to say they only travel outside of work (40%) or don’t travel at all (34%).
Hybrid workers, on the other hand, are the most likely to travel for business purposes (such as conferences), 13 percentage points higher than their fully-remote counterparts. Hybrid workers also represent the least likely group to report they don’t travel at all (16%).
Additional spring travel insights:
- Nearly three-fourths (74%) of hybrid workers intend to travel within the next month, compared to 71% of fully remote workers and 56% of fully in-person workers.
- Regular diners at upscale restaurants and owners and intenders of augmented reality products are the most likely to intend to travel in the next month.
- Conversely, adults 65+ and people making under $25K annually are the least likely to report an intent to travel.
Looking to take a deeper dive into more insights in the CivicScience 2023 Spring Travel Report? Clients receive this report in full, and it can be purchased individually. Interested in working with us? Let’s chat.
