The Top Concerns for Summer Travel

by Lacey Pfalz
Last updated: 12:10 PM ET, Sun May 14, 2023

The busy summer travel season is just ramping up, and TravelPulse took a look at what travelers are most concerned about as we enter the travel season, asking trusted travel advisors for what their clients are most concerned about.

A recent survey by InteleTravel, the world’s largest and oldest host travel agency, found that there were three main concerns that travelers were most worried about: namely, higher travel prices (54 percent) and delayed or canceled flights (48 percent) and safety and security, which draws travelers towards choosing to receive help from a travel advisor (60 percent).

Travel advisors agree that these trends — rising prices, travel hurdles and safety and security while traveling — are the top concerns for travelers right now. We asked several to explain their clients’ top concerns and how they help assuage them.

Rising Prices

Despite gas prices stabilizing somewhat, air travel is still at an all-time high, and travelers, especially those looking to book last-minute domestic or international trips this summer, are finding sticker shock a huge concern.

"Last summer my clients were still interested in staying closer to home, but this year I'm seeing a huge increase in clients wanting to travel to Europe or Hawaii,” said Heather Grodin, CTA - ACC affiliated with MEI - Travel. “Everyone is trying to do these bucket list-destinations and are having a bit of sticker shock because these destinations weren't really on their radar for the past few years.”

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While many advisors state that prices are less of a deterrent than before, it is making a difference for some travelers, who may have to choose different destinations or travel methods in order to save some money if their budgets can’t fit their initial trip plans.

“To address the concerns that clients have with inflation, I have had to get creative with how to meet them in the middle. At the end of the day, the reality is that they do need to increase their travel investment from last year,” said Lina Sutton, owner of Go Wander Travel Co. “However it’s also possible for us as travel advisors to think outside the box in order to still deliver an incredible experience that matches their expectations while still respecting their investment.”

“One way I’ve accomplished this is by offering that clients consider pivoting to less expensive destinations (think Portugal in lieu of Italy’s Amalfi Coast) or advising them to take advantage of traveling in the shoulder season (which is quickly becoming less of a possibility due to demand) if their dates are flexible,” Sutton continued. “Airfare to Europe is at a record high, and so some clients have opted to take a domestic trip this summer and save their trip to Europe for later this fall instead.”

Still, Sutton says that at least luxury travelers are willing to spend more for upgraded flights and those special bucket-list travel experiences more than they have in the past, despite inflation and higher costs.

“It’s interesting that despite inflation and the rising cost of travel, I am finding that many clients are still not wanting to scale back or compromise on their travel experience,” Sutton said. “My clients are splurging on luxury accommodations, longer trips, and upgraded airfare more often than they were in previous years. To me, this signals that clients are prioritizing travel in their lives, and this is great news for travel advisors, especially those in the luxury market.”

Janine Cartier, Founder of New View Travel, thinks the issues with pricing are fine for now, but are not sustainable in the long run: “I don’t think it’s sustainable for the everyday traveler and will reduce the number of trips they can take each year. Families are being hurt the most and what a shame to prevent our younger generation from seeing the world and educating and inspiring them. For a family of 4 to travel to Italy this summer, depending on when the air was booked and the type of schedule, the cost is around $6,000 total which is around a 50 percent increase from 2019 just on airfare alone.”

Travel Hurdles

Delayed and canceled flights and flight strikes in Europe are some of the top concerns when it comes to travel hurdles this summer, and a lot of travel advisors have been receiving questions from their clients about it.

“The concerns that are top of mind for my clients when booking summer vacations to popular fly-to destinations are centered around flights...the cost, availability and weather-based cancellations,” said Debra H. Brown, President and Luxury Travel Designer, SmartBird World Travel. “Those returning to cruising and other popular vacation destinations for the summer of 2023 are facing the sticker shock of the cost of domestic and international flights. This is a deterrent to some and an unpleasant issue for others. As a case in point, last week I booked flights for my daughter and I from Atlanta to Orlando to join a cruise from Port Canaveral - the cost was four times higher than a few years ago. The selected destination is often based on ‘how much is the flight?’ and ‘are non-stop flights available?’”

“The recent coverage of widespread cancellations in the USA and ground crew strikes in Europe are a concern as well,” Brown continued. “Clients aren’t willing to endure multiple connections or layovers at a time when the capacity of the airlines and limited itineraries require more than usual connections and layovers.”

Claire Schoeder, CTC Elevations Travel, a Signature agency in Atlanta GA, echoes a lot of the same concerns her own clients have shared with her: “One of the major concerns my clients have is flight delays and cancellations…Clients have read about pilot and cabin crew shortages, the FAA wanting fewer flights out of the NYC area airports, the frequent strikes at London-Heathrow and many other unknowns that can wreak havoc on travel plans.”

“Other concerns I have heard about are from river cruise clients who are worried about water levels on the major European rivers—a regular problem in recent years,” Schoeder continued. “Clients are worried about car rental availability and cost… And finally, clients are worried about getting passports back in a timely manner.”

Travel advisors agree that there are a few things travelers can do to assuage their fears and eliminate the risks of potential travel hurdles. If a traveler worries about losing their luggage, for example, advisors tell them to consider packing a carry-on instead to eliminate that risk.

“I always tell clients to arrive a day or so before a tour or cruise starts to allow for flight delays and cancellations. I try to book longer layovers if they are changing planes, especially when they are traveling through airports that regularly have air traffic control issues causing delays,” said Schoeder. “Most of the hotel service-related questions I have this year are related to the luxury hotels. I usually email the hotel to ask what clients might expect in service that is different from pre-pandemic. Most are forthcoming with changes and I share that information with clients.”

Safety & Security

Lastly, but certainly a top concern for many travelers this busy travel season, is safety and security. From travelers worried about their personal safety in Mexico to travelers traveling internationally for the very first time, clients have a lot of questions about this concern.

“Another top concern is safety; there’s a number of safety-related issues taking place on the global scale,” said Debra H. Brown. “State department warnings for Mexico and other summer vacation hotspots; the civil war in Sudan and speculation that it will spill over into Egypt (a client called several days ago with the inquiry); the on-going conflict in Ukraine that has created concern to neighboring areas…Global warming is disrupting normal weather patterns causing norms in rainfall and temperatures to be unpredictable. This is also a concern regarding the possibility of mass flight cancellations.”

Travel advisors recommend purchasing travel insurance no matter where a traveler is going and they’re getting there this summer. They also recommend analyzing their personal safety concerns to see if they match with the destination they have in mind; there’s likely another destination that a traveler might feel more comfortable traveling to instead of the one they have in mind if the risks are higher than the benefits for them.

Advice for Travelers, from the Professionals

Lastly, travel advisors shared a few words of wisdom from their combined decades of experience working in the industry for travelers this summer.

“I always remind my clients and myself that patience is an absolute necessity these days. Travel has recovered faster than the industry expected so airlines, hotels and car companies are still catching up. It will still be a bit of time before they catch up with demand,” said Schoeder. “And I remind clients to check passport expiration dates before booking a trip. For my regular clients I try to remind them when their passports are close to only 6 months validity remaining so that they can start the renewal process.”

“Also, it needs to be said that no one should be traveling without travel insurance,” said Lina Sutton. “This isn’t even advice for a post-pandemic travel world. Flight delays, cancellations, illness, and injury have been and always will be potential obstacles when it comes to travel. It is so important for clients to protect their investment from unexpected expenses and difficulties. Finally, I urge clients to continue packing their patience. With travel demand up, it will mea busy airports again this summer. Be kind, have patience, and give grace."

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