Holiday Travelers Remain Cautious

As the United States approaches its second holiday season in the pandemic and its first since COVID-19 vaccines have been available, Americans are doing their best to get back to normal. Four in 10 (42%) plan to travel between Thanksgiving and mid-January, taking an average of two trips, according to the “2021 Deloitte Holiday Travel Survey.” Yet the pandemic remains a significant factor in travel-related decision-making, affecting consumers’ choices about whether to take a trip and, if they do, where to visit, how to get there, and what to do at the destination.

The survey polled 6,512 U.S. consumers. Among those, 2,759 qualified as travelers, and 1,501 of the travelers noted they would stay in paid lodging during the holiday season. The findings uncover plenty of reason to hope for leisure travel’s robust rebound, but due to ongoing health and financial concerns, some consumers plan to celebrate the holidays at home. Older Americans, in particular, may be more cautious about the season; 36% of those over 55 years old plan to travel, compared with 45% of 18- to 34-year-olds. For consumers not traveling, concern about the health of loved ones and desire to wait for the pandemic to end are the top reasons to stay home, beating out financial concerns.

Over the course of the holiday travel season, two-thirds of travelers will fly or stay in paid lodging, according to the survey. More than half (58%) say they expect to spend about the same on travel as they did in 2019, and one in five will spend significantly more. High-income households in particular are expected to spend more, with 85% planning to match or exceed their 2019 budgets. Half expect to spend more than $5,000 on their longest holiday trip, while half of lower-income travelers will spend less than $1,000.

Despite news stories of unruly passengers refusing to wear masks, most respondents indicate they embrace measures to mitigate COVID-19 transmission while traveling. Two-thirds of travelers say they are more likely to fly if masking is required, while 10% say they are less likely. A slightly smaller share, 58%, say they would embrace proof of vaccination to fly; that figure is even higher for high-income and frequent travelers.

Overall, the health and financial effects of COVID-19 continue to challenge holiday travel aspirations, but many Americans are ready to return to the roads and skies. Travel companies can focus on providing a positive customer experience that is mindful of travelers’ safety concerns. Consumers, meanwhile, should seek to solidify their plans early to ensure they are comfortable with providers’ options and COVID-19 policies. If the survey findings are any indication, the travel industry comeback has only just begun.