No matter their COVID-19 vaccination status, clients are most likely making travel plans for the holidays this year.
The latest report from MMGY Travel Intelligence — which showcases the findings from the Fall Edition of its Portrait of American Travelers — reveals travelers’ strong intent to venture out over the holidays, regardless of their vaccination status.
The survey, which is the third of four quarterly reports and was conducted from interviews with 4,500 U.S. adults in July 2021, zeroed in on four generations: Generation Z (18 to 23), millennials (24–39), Generation X (40–55), Boomers (56–74) and Silent/GIs (75+).
Of the more than half (54%) of active travelers who report being vaccinated against COVID-19, 80% plan to take a leisure trip in the next six months, and 81% of unvaccinated travelers are following suit.
However, the types of travel these two groups are planning vary widely: Vaccinated individuals are more likely to opt for a wide range of trips, including hotel and resort stays, trips to visit friends and family, road trips and flights (both domestic and long haul). Meanwhile, those who haven’t gotten the jab are more likely to travel for a conference or convention (10%) compared to those who have been inoculated (6%).
Vaccination mandates would likely impact the choice to travel, according to the majority of respondents, with millennials most likely to move forward with a convention, a hotel stay, a flight or a cruise if proof of vaccination was required.
Intention to Travel for 2021 Fall and Winter Holidays
The intention to take a trip in the next three months is also slightly up from this summer’s report, rising to 53% from 50%. When the travel window is broadened to six months, however, that number jumps to 73% of adults, up 1% from the summer. Forty-two percent of travelers will hit the road for the holidays, either for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah or Kwanzaa, with 61% of millennials and 52% of Generation Z respondents traveling for at least one of these occasions.
Most holiday travelers are favoring the homes of friends and families for these stays (42%), while 31% will bypass visits with friends and family for a leisure vacation. Twenty-eight percent of those surveyed will meet their family members at a vacation destination, and 42% are venturing more than 500 miles from home.
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