U.S. leisure travelers plan to significantly pare back travel plans amid rising COVID-19 cases, with 69 percent planning to take fewer trips, 55 percent planning to postpone existing travel plans, and 42 percent likely to cancel existing plans without rescheduling, according to a new national survey conducted by Morning Consult on behalf of the American Hotel & Lodging Association. Nearly three in four (72 percent) are likely to only travel to places within driving distance.
While leisure travel historically begins to decline after Labor Day, it remains critical throughout the year. The new survey highlights the ongoing negative effects of the pandemic on travel and underscores the need for targeted federal relief, such as the Save Hotel Jobs Act, according to the AHLA.
More than one in five hotel jobs lost during the pandemic—nearly 500,000 in total—will not have returned by the end of this year. For every 10 people directly employed on a hotel property, hotels support an additional 26 jobs in the community, from restaurants and retail to hotel supply companies—meaning an additional nearly 1.3 million hotel-supported jobs are also at risk, according to the AHLA.
The survey of 2,200 adults was conducted Aug. 11-12, 2021. Of these, 1,707 people, or 78 percent of respondents, are leisure travelers—that is, those who indicated they may travel for leisure in 2021. Key findings among leisure travelers include the following:
- 69 percent are likely to take fewer trips and 65 percent are likely to take shorter trips;
- 42 percent are likely to cancel existing travel plans with no plans to reschedule;
- 55 percent are likely to postpone existing travel plans until a later date;
- 72 percent are likely to only travel to places they can drive to; and
- 70 percent are likely to travel with smaller groups.