Will the Upcoming Election Soften Travel Bookings? Travel Agents Say ‘No’

In a survey of more than 250 travel advisors, 68% say they see the upcoming election as having “no impact” on whether clients are more or less likely to plan a trip in 2024. Another 13% think that clients are less likely to plan a trip during an election year, and 10% believe clients will be more likely. Eight percent say they don’t know.

“Historically, election years impact travel plans because so many travelers are concerned about their finances due to possible market fluctuations as political candidates change offices,” said Steven Gould, founder of the Travel Advisor Resource Center (TARC). “However, seeing how busy wave season has been, how many people are traveling in 2024 and taking into account big events like the Olympics, it doesn’t seem like the election is having a huge impact — at least not this early in the year."

When it comes to the influence election-related news has on clients’ perception of travel safety, advisors are split: 39% feel election-related news affects perceptions of travel safety, while 45% disagree.

Gould says that while “safety cannot be guaranteed,” travel advisors should not push clients to travel if they do not feel comfortable.

“The job of mainstream media is to garner attention, clicks and visibility, so travel safety is an easy target,” he said. “It’s the travel advisor’s job to pull their clients out of the headlines and educate them on where to find the right information, whether through local tourism websites (ex: tourist boards), reaching out to preferred supplier partners with boots on the ground, or even by showcasing the travel safety concerns locally."

It’s the travel advisor’s job to pull their clients out of the headlines and educate them on where to find the right information.

Although 30% of the advisors surveyed believe there are no factors that influence clients’ plans during an election year, other advisors list some concerns: 31% cite economic uncertainty as a top factor, followed by security (26%), general election anxiety (6%) and political rallies and events (5%). Some advisors (37%) answered “yes” when asked if they have clients who choose where to travel (or not travel) based on their own political affiliations and beliefs (45% say “no” and 18% say “don’t know.”

But TARC’s Gould says he believes “this is true of anything.”

“Many people have political beliefs, religious beliefs, cultural, and even societal beliefs that help form opinions and decisions of where to travel, what to buy, or how to live life,” he said. “The goal of a travel advisor is to find clients that match your ideal client profile and pair them with the destination or vacation experience that is right for them.”