With virtual learning and working from home, the summer travel season is being extended into the fall.
MMGY Global has found that Americans are looking to recoup lost summer vacation time spent in lockdown and are feeling more comfortable venturing out. This time, MMGY is calling "Stretch Season," an extension of the summer travel season into the fall months driven by pent-up travel demand and the ability to travel while working and learning remotely.
"The season following Labor Day provides travelers an opportunity to extend their travel budgets during a more value-oriented period, especially in their own cities, regionally and in destinations that feature outdoor activities like beaches and parks," said Clayton Reid, CEO of MMGY Global. "This new reality creates an opportunity to boost the travel industry and help stimulate economic recovery."
MMGY Travel Intelligence's ongoing Travel Intentions Pulse Survey, which measures the impact of COVID-19 on American travelers' attitudes and changes in travel behavior, found that this could be a lucrative time for the travel industry.
Sixty-four percent of travelers expect to take a leisure trip within the next six months, and 54 percent of travelers say that they are more likely to travel in the fall this year than in previous years.
The research found that leisure trips planned for late July and August have shifted to the fall thanks to loosened cancellation policies and travel brands adapting quickly to the new marketplace.
Road trips remain popular with 73 percent of travelers feeling safe traveling in their cars. Families with kids doing remote learning can extend vacations and work and learn in their travel destinations.
Only 29 percent of business travelers are expecting to take a business trip in the next three months which creates an opportunity for those road warriors to extend time with friends and family and dedicate more time (and loyalty redemption points) to leisure.
Budget-minded travelers can take advantage of fall deals and savings by traveling during a typical shoulder season, stretching their budgets farther in sought-after destinations such as beaches and national parks.
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