With travel restrictions steadily falling away worldwide and summer virtually upon us, travelers are turning out en masse to take the trips they could only dream of for the past two years. And, there's one distinct segment that's due for a serious comeback: honeymooners.
Since the pandemic struck, most engaged couples have had to pivot substantially in terms of their wedding plans-sometimes completely redesigning their nuptials, as destination weddings suddenly became out of the question (at least early on) and the size of social gatherings had to be limited. Plenty of people had to switch to small ceremonies closer to home, and even resort to broadcasting their weddings via Zoom. But, it seems the time has now come to make up for all of it.
According to new research from Expedia, a staggering 97 percent of couples surveyed reported that their honeymoon plans were disrupted by the pandemic, with nearly all of them having been forced to cancel, postpone or downsize their post-wedding travel plans over the past two years.
With a projected 4.7 million weddings occurring between 2022 and 2023, couples collectively have their sights set on bigger and better honeymoon options.
Expedia's survey, in which 1,500 couples were polled, uncovered some current trends:
- Trips as Wedding Gifts - 65 percent of paramours said they're more likely to include a honeymoon fund on their wedding registries, reflecting a broader consumer trend of prioritizing experiences over material possessions.
- Mega-Moons - 53 percent of respondents now plan to spend more for their honeymoons than they had originally budgeted, with 59 percent now reporting more interest in a major, bucket-list-type trip.
- Duo-Moons - 83 percent of the lovebirds surveyed plan to take more than one honeymoon, or split their travels up by taking a quick trip immediately after the wedding and then an extended one later on.
- Redo-Moons - 54 percent of couples who are already married said they weren't totally satisfied with their pandemic-era honeymoon and desire a "do-over"
"Coming out of the pandemic, couples are clearly determined to have an epic honeymoon," said Christie Hudson, head of U.S. public relations for Expedia. "For many couples, that will include flights, luxurious accommodations and even romantic in-destination activities.
Following a stressful two years and pandemic-era honeymoon disappointments, newlyweds are anticipating getting to enjoy some rest-and-relaxation time. Expedia's survey found that the most popular itineraries among honeymooners include all-inclusive resort stays (45 percent), romantic activities like sunset cruises or hot-air balloon rides (54 percent), and overall pampering (52 percent).
Although, it seems that couples have competing preferences when it comes to choosing a destination type for their honeymoons. Beach and tropical destinations (19 percent), surprisingly, are hardly more sought-after than trips with multiple destinations (18 percent), urban getaways (16 percent) or national park visits (15 percent).
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