The fall/holiday travel season is shaping up to be less predictable than expected. New results from Longwoods International and Miles Partnership tracking study of American travelers found a mixed bag when it comes to their plans for travel during the Thanksgiving and Christmas breaks.
The research shows that, while some are eager to hit the road, there are still many people who are hesitant to return to pre-pandemic travel levels.
"Full recovery from the pandemic for the U.S. travel and tourism industry is still a bit further away," said Amir Eylon, president and CEO of Longwoods International. "Travelers remain cautious, which could result in a long, slow climb back to the robust, record-breaking travel volumes and spending the industry experienced pre-COVID."
Intent to travel still remains high, but the delta variant is having an impact on the fall holiday season. Thirty-four percent of travelers said that they had reduced the number of trips they were planning to take in the next six months. However, nine out of 10 of those surveyed are planning some travel.
For many, the pandemic is not having an effect on the way they travel. Forty-one percent said that they were planning the same number of trips during the holidays as last year.
The better news is that the data showed 27 percent of respondents indicated that they were planning more vacations this fall and holiday season while 32 percent of travelers are taking fewer trips this year compared to last year.
While it is difficult to predict what the next few months will bring, Longwoods research revealed that the pandemic has changed the way people travel. Driving to destinations is still more popular than flying, and domestic travel is still more accessible than international-two long-term trends.
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