by Donald Wood
Last updated: 3:00 PM ET, Tue November 16, 2021
A new study found that people are planning more travel in 2022 due to being less concerned about the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak.
According to a new survey from the Out of Home Advertising Association of America (OAAA), 48 percent of respondents said they have already made plans for travel in the first half of 2022 or plan to do so once they decide on a destination.
In comparison, 27 percent of travelers said they are waiting to see what happens with the coronavirus pandemic before working out a plan for a winter vacation, an increase from the 19 percent during the same period last year.
"With lockdown in the rearview, travelers are doing more than embracing the prospect of travel - they're booking trips and becoming increasingly comfortable traveling further afield," OAAA President and CEO Anna Bager said.
Commercial air travel numbers are also on the rise during the first half of 2022, with early bookings more than doubling since the 2020 holiday season, up from 24 percent to 51 percent.
Another 43 percent of Americans said their local travel plans would either return to normal or increase, while 27 percent report their travel plans would be similar to pre-COVID times.
In addition, 11 percent plan to increase the number of trips they take and the distance they travel, compared to just nine percent at this time last year.
Last week, a study from the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) found that 29 percent of Americans are likely to travel for Thanksgiving and 33 percent expect to travel for Christmas, an increase from 21 percent and 24 percent, respectively, compared to last year.
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