New research shows that “Americans are ready to travel for the holidays” as concerns about health risks diminish among consumers.
According to the annual holiday travel survey by Deloitte, an international business consultancy, the number of Americans deterred from traveling because of health concerns dropped from one in five to one in 10.
In a statement, Mike Daher, Deloitte’s vice chair for transportation, hospitality, and services in the U.S., described the travel industry as “reaching its cruising altitude this holiday season.”
Of the 5,281 surveyed for the report, 48% said they plan on traveling between Thanksgiving and mid-July. Plus, 56% of those travelers said they plan on staying at a hotel during their trip, and 37% said they plan on taking at least one flight.
The data also shows that the travelers cover a range of income and age groups. It breaks down to one-third of Boomers planning to travel as well as one in four Zoomers and one in five Millennials.
One caveat mentioned in the report is that travelers are planning to take fewer trips and stay at their destination for a shorter amount of time. However, they are planning to spend more this year as the average holiday budget is $2,725.
Of those who say they’re not going to travel this season, 38% said their primary reason was financial, and the percentage of those who cited health concerns dropped by seven percentage points (from 18% in 2022 to 11% in 2023).