According to the latest Longwoods International tracking study of American travelers, 81% plan to travel in the next six months, an increase of 16 percentage points since mid-January and the highest level since the beginning of the pandemic last March. 

Coupled with a surge in travel plans for the upcoming six months, the percentage of travelers who say that the coronavirus is greatly impacting their decision to travel during this time period has dropped to 40%, the lowest level since March 2020.

“The arrival of multiple coronavirus vaccines has reignited travel planning in the U.S.,” said Amir Eylon, President and CEO of Longwoods International in a prepared statement.  “The travel industry recovery appears poised to track in synch with the success of the mass vaccination program now underway across America.”

Vaccines are top of mind for American travelers with two thirds saying the vaccine will impact their travel plans. More than a third of travelers do not plan to travel until they are vaccinated, and a fifth of travelers do not plan to travel until a majority of Americans have received the vaccine.

The survey, supported by Miles Partnership, was fielded on February 3, 2021, using a national sample randomly drawn from a consumer panel of 1,000 adults, ages 18 and over.  Quotas were used to match Census targets for age, gender, and region to make the survey representative of the U. S. population.

Key Findings

  1. 81% of American Travelers report that they plan to travel within the next six months.
  2. Only 40% of American Travelers indicated the coronavirus is greatly impacting their decision to travel in the next six months.
  3. 63% of American Travelers say the pandemic is causing them to change travel plans, down 5% since mid-January.
  4. 49% of Americans say they feel safe traveling outside their communities.
  5. 35% of American Travelers say they will wait until they are vaccinated to travel, but 37% say the vaccine has no impact on their travel plans at all.

Established in 1978 as a market research consultancy, Longwoods International has grown into a respected leader within the travel and tourism industry. With offices in Toronto, Ohio, Georgia, Florida, and Wisconsin, Longwoods conducts strategic market research for public- and private-sector clients throughout North America, Europe and the Pacific Rim.