U.S. travelers are gradually becoming more confident in the safety of domestic travel, international travel, business travel, cruising and more, according to the latest Travel Intentions Pulse Survey (TIPS) and Travel Safety Barometer, an ongoing survey series from marketing firm MMGY Global that began tracking American travel sentiments in mid-March.
Confidence in domestic travel continues to rise. The Domestic Travel Safety Barometer score rose above 50 for the first time since the start of the pandemic, with a score of 52/100, which is 22 points higher than it was in April. Forty-six percent of respondents say they are likely to take a domestic leisure trip in the next six months.
Additionally, the International Travel Safety Barometer increased to a score of 38 with one-fourth of respondents saying they are likely to take an international leisure trip during the next six months.
Getting people traveling again is a complex puzzle for the industry to solve, and research shows that even when a vaccine becomes available, travelers aren’t necessarily rushing out to get it.
The October Business Travel Safety Barometer increased from 38 to 41, a 12-point increase from its May score. The Travel Safety Barometer score for attending a conference or convention jumped from 30 in September to 35 in October.
After several months, the Cruise Travel Safety Barometer has finally budged from the low- to mid-20s, with an increase of seven points (rising from 24 to 31).
“While the industry is clearly a long way from where it needs to go to affect cruise bookings, especially from new cruisers, it is a welcome signal that travelers may finally be getting more comfortable setting sail,” according to a statement from MMGY Global.
The TIPS survey also found that outdoor travel experiences continue to be perceived as safer than indoor experiences, with travelers feeling most assured visiting a state/national park or beach.
“Getting people traveling again is a complex puzzle for the industry to solve, and research shows that even when a vaccine becomes available, travelers aren’t necessarily rushing out to get it,” according to MMGY.
Although survey results show that the availability of a vaccine would have the greatest impact on respondents’ decisions about future travel, “consent to receiving the vaccine remains problematic.”
Half of respondents (49%) report that they would wait at least a few months to get the vaccine, while 11% said they would not want to receive it at all.
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MMGY Global
www.mmgyintel.com
