The number of Americans traveling last summer was up significantly thanks to the continued rollout of COVID-19 vaccines and the easing of travel restrictions. Now, even more Americans are traveling this summer.
Indeed, half of the Americans surveyed in a new study said they plan a leisure vacation with paid lodging this summer, according to a report from Deloitte Insights. That number is up from 46 percent of Americans who intended to take a similar vacation last year.
What’s more, another 13 percent of the survey participants said they will be vacationing but plan to stay with family or friends, according to the report titled The Experience Economy Endures, The 2023 Deloitte Summer Travel Survey.
“The specter of COVID-19 is still driving some revenge travel: One in five travelers are planning their marquee summer trip to make up for travel they missed out on during the pandemic,” the report’s authors note. “And among those likely to spend more on leisure travel this year, nearly three in 10 (28 percent) said they are making up for missed travel and 32 percent said they are taking a bucket-list trip.”
Interestingly, the survey’s participants also said they plan to squeeze in more trips this summer, however, those additional trips will be shorter. Notably, about 66 percent of the participants said they are planning a long weekend or quick getaway trip, the report continues.
Commitment To Marquee Trips
Pent-up demand for travel is believed to be a key factor behind more Americans traveling this summer than last. It’s worth noting, though, that compared to 2022, marquee trips will likely be shorter and less expensive than similar travel last summer.
Indeed, survey participants indicated they plan to spend $2,930 on their longest trip this summer. In comparison, last year’s survey participants said they planned to spend $3,320 on their longest summer trip.
So, how will travelers reach these marquee destinations?
As expected, 51 percent of the survey’s participants said they plan to fly for their marquee trip this summer. That number is up from 47 percent last summer.
What’s more, 37 percent of travelers who intend to fly will be taking international flights. That number is up 10 percent over last year.
What may come as a bit of a surprise, however, is that just 21 percent of those international air travelers will be taking relatively short trips to Mexico and the Caribbean. The flip side of the coin is that 57 percent of those international travelers are planning to visit European destinations.
Inflation’s Impact On Summer Travel Plans
As previously noted, more Americans are traveling this summer compared to last summer despite rising travel prices and inflation. That doesn’t mean, though, that travelers aren’t mindful of the economy.
Almost one in four (24 percent) of the survey’s participants said their financial situation has worsened over the past year. Then again, 40 percent said their financial situation is about the same as it was last year.
“Interestingly, while travelers feeling financially worse off are cutting out the extra summer trip, they are making efforts to protect their marquee getaways,” the Deloitte report continues. “Indeed, 37 percent of the travelers who said their financial situation is worse than last year indicated they are still taking a marquee trip of at least 7 nights this year.”
Finally, it’s also worth noting that 50 percent of the participants who said they will not be traveling this summer said it was because they can’t afford a summer vacation this year. Another 24 percent of those individuals said it is because travel is too expensive now.
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