According to the newest Amex Trendex report, consumers' desire for travel is strong, especially given the trend towards remote work that provides them with more flexibility in terms of scheduling their travel days. With all indications thus far pointing toward more people traveling this holiday season than in 2020, American Express sought to discover more about travelers' motives, desires, dreams and plans for the final months of 2021.
Eager to reclaim some semblance of normalcy, consumers appear to be embracing the holiday spirit wholeheartedly and again engaging in activities that may have been put on hold last year. In fact, close to half (48 percent) of survey participants said they have already started their holiday shopping. And, 38 percent reported that they plan on spending more on the holidays this year.
Nearly half (47 percent) survey-takers are planning to travel for at least one holiday this season. And, the shift toward working remotely, catalyzed by COVID-19, is working in people's favor. It may even make the holiday travel period a bit less hectic, since 61 percent of employed respondents agreed that it gives them the flexibility to avoid the busiest travel days. Among employed participants, 57 percent also said it allows them the flexibility to extend their trips.
And, only 17 percent of respondents are planning to have a 'hybrid holiday' this year, combining in-person and virtual gatherings, as was recommended during the 2020 holidays. Seventy-one percent said they'll be celebrating the 2021 end-of-year holidays with more family members and loved ones in-person than last year. Forty-four percent of respondents are planning on traveling to visit family or friends in person this year.
As new consumer trends take shape approaching the pandemic's second holiday season, 61 percent of those surveyed agreed that holiday plans will look different this year and into the future. The "book now, figure it out later" trend first identified earlier this year is ongoing, with 63 percent of consumers surveyed saying that they're willing to book a trip now even if they may have to cancel it later.
Other significant Amex Trendex survey findings include:
-Of all consumers surveyed, nearly half (49 percent) plan to travel on or before the Tuesday prior to Thanksgiving (November 23) compared to just 29 percent who plan to travel on Thanksgiving Day itself (November 25).
-Forty-two percent of participants said they would skip celebrating Thanksgiving in the U.S. in order to take an international vacation.
-Seventy-seven percent would rather take a vacation with their significant other than exchange gifts, and 68 percent would forgo exchanging gifts with their family to instead go on a family vacation.
-Many U.S. consumers would like to receive a domestic (65 percent) or international (49 percent) trip as a gift this season.
-Fifty-two percent indicated that one of their New Year's resolutions will be to take more vacation time in 2022 than they did in 2021.
-Fifty-five percent of respondents said they plan on traveling between one and three times during 2022, while 39 percent plan to travel four or more times next year.
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