With 2020 in the rearview mirror, many Americans remain hopeful about traveling and taking a much-needed vacation in 2021, but will travel bounce back this year?
IPX 1031 surveyed 2,020 Americans to learn more about their travel plans for 2021 including itineraries, budgets and what accommodations will look like this year.
According to respondents, nearly half (48%) say they are feeling optimistic about traveling and vacationing in 2021, while a quarter say they are “somewhat” optimistic. In terms of traveling without any restrictions, 45% say they believe travel will eventually return to a pre-pandemic level of normalcy.
As Americans begin receiving vaccinations for COVID-19, many are already planning to travel this year. In fact, more than half (58%) say they have travel plans this year, with one-third of those planning on vacationing during spring break. Some are not wasting any time as 42% already have their trips booked. Among all respondents, 20% still are not sure when they will vacation again, but 33% say they plan to pack their bags and vacation by this summer. Safety and health concerns during the pandemic is the top reason for Americans holding back on vacationing this year followed by financial reasons.
As for vacation budgets, 70% of respondents say they can currently afford to take a vacation with the average budget being around $2,470. More than one-third (36%) say they would spend their stimulus check on a vacation.
According to respondents, 29% are eager to take advantage of their vacation time this year by taking a longer vacation compared to previous years. A majority of them are also viewing safety as a top priority when they travel. Overall, 62% say they will only travel to areas with a low number of cases, and 73% are prepared to cancel or postpone their trip if cases spike in the destination they plan to travel to.
Of the 24% of vacation home and timeshare property owners surveyed, 67% say they’ve used their vacation home as a primary residence during the pandemic.
Other popular accommodations that travelers prefer include hotels, staying with family and short-term rentals such as Airbnb and VRBO.
More than half of respondents (57%) say they’ve gone a year or longer without taking a vacation.
IPX 1031 surveyed 2,020 Americans between the ages of 18-79 from Jan. 13-20. Forty-four percent of respondents were male and 57% were female. According to respondents, 40% had taken a vacation since COVID-19 (March 2020-January 2021). The average age of respondents was 37 years old.