MMGY Global has just released the fifth wave of its Travel Safety Barometer report, and there was a lot of good news. Travelers are feeling much more comfortable about summer travel, entertainment, transportation and even business travel.
All of the U.S. states are currently in some phase of reopening, and international destinations are also beginning to open borders and welcome travelers, which seems to be driving confidence in the safety of travel. Traveler sentiment or travel within the country jumped 10 points from 34 in May to 44 in June.
Travelers are also more confident in international travel. The barometer jumped 10-points but is still relatively low at 32 on a scale of 100.
People are also growing more confident in going out for dining and entertainment. Travelers are starting to feel more comfortable about participating in activities like going to a park, dining at a restaurant and attending sporting events (indoors and outdoors) as well as outdoor festivals.
Outdoor activities are more popular than indoor ones, with people showing the most enthusiasm for going to the beach, which scored 50 points on the travel barometer.
People are still relatively apprehensive about indoor events such as concerts, theatrical events and indoor sports.
In more good news, the Lodging Safety Barometer increased from 35 to 44 in June. Hotels have worked hard to update their safety protocols and promote their new cleaning measures, and the strategy is building confidence among consumers. Staying in a hotel or resort scores 44, and vacation rentals are just slightly higher with a score of 47.
Transportation is also showing positive movement. In particular, confidence in air travel is gaining ground with a 20 percent improvement since May, which means that, like the hotel and lodging industry, the promotion of increased safety measures has given consumers an elevated sense of security.
However, traveling in a personal vehicle is by far the most secure method of transportation at the moment, scoring 74 points on the barometer. Domestic flights score just 36, and traveling by rail is 34.
Business travel confidence is improving but remains hindered by several factors. Video conferencing platforms and the complexities of attending a crowded conference during the pandemic are leading companies to reconsider their business travel needs.
However, the fifth wave of this survey has shown a seven-point jump among travelers who perceive business travel as safe, moving the needle from 29 to 36 out of 100.
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