Travel is resuming, but only 44 percent of Americans are planning overnight trips in 2020, according to a new survey conducted for the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA).
Interest is high in road trips, family events, and long weekends during the summer. Of those expecting to travel, 68 percent said they are likely to stay in a hotel.
"Travel is by no means back yet, but we are encouraged to see people begin to travel as their communities reopen, and we all learn to navigate this new normal," said Chip Rogers, president and CEO of the American Hotel & Lodging Association. "If you are thinking about traveling in 2020, my message to you is that hotels are clean and safe places, and we are ready to welcome you when you're ready to travel."
Among Americans planning to travel in 2020, 59 percent expect to take their first overnight trip by the end of the summer. Summer road trips will take center stage, with 72 percent planning an overnight vacation via car over the next five months. Of these, 75 percent expect to drive two or more hours, according to the survey conducted by Morning Consult for the AHLA.
On their next overnight trip, 43 percent plan to stay with family and friends, and 39 percent plan to stay in a hotel; just 9 percent plan to stay at a short-term rental such as Airbnb or VRBO, and 5 percent in a camper or RV. Nearly eight in 10 (78 percent) are planning a trip of four days or less, suggesting long-weekend trips will be first vacation travel to return.
Among those planning to travel in 2020, the survey found that 81 percent expect to take a day trip and 72 percent to take an overnight vacation via car within the next five months. The overwhelming majority do not expect to take cruises (14 percent), camper/RV trips (28 percent), or vacations via plane (32 percent) in 2020.
AHLA recently launched "Safe Stay," the industry's initiative focused on enhanced hotel cleaning practices, social interactions, and workplace protocols to meet the new health and safety challenges and expectations presented by COVID-19.
Travel ground to a halt in March across the country. Hotel occupancy dropped to just 24.5 percent among open hotels nationwide in April, the lowest occupancy for any month on record in the U.S., according to STR. Since then, hotel occupancy has continued to tick up slowly, reaching 43.9 percent nationwide on June 20, but still far below the 74.5 percent occupancy at this time last year.
As we enter the July 4 weekend, hotel bookings are strongest in beach towns and smaller markets, according to Amadeus, a travel technology provider. Among the top 25 travel markets, only Norfolk/Virginia Beach has eclipsed 50 percent occupancy.
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