COVID-19 Travel Sentiment Study-Wave 21

Travelers Seek COVID Safety Precautions from Lodging Operators

According to the most recent Longwoods International tracking study of American travelers, clear safety and cleanliness protocols matter to Americans when considering where to stay on their upcoming trip. Lodging properties with cleaning and hygiene programs are sought by 55% of travelers, and mask-wearing requirements and/or social distancing policies are desirable for 47% of those planning their U.S. trips. 

“We know from our research that to win customers during this pandemic, tourism businesses need to inspire consumer confidence in the safety of visiting their facilities,” said Amir Eylon, President and CEO of Longwoods International.  “Travelers will reward lodging properties which demonstrate an aggressive action plan to protect customers from coronavirus exposure.”

According to the most recent survey, the percentage of travelers canceling upcoming trips jumped from 34% on September 9th to 44%.  Those modifying their upcoming trips rather than cancel them fell by a commensurate percentage, from 50% on September 9 to 41% in the latest survey. Despite these changes, there is still a strong pent-up demand for travel, with 65% of travelers indicating they are planning a trip in the next six months.

The survey, supported by Miles Partnership, was fielded September 23, 2020 using a national sample randomly drawn from a consumer panel of 1,000 adults, ages 18 and over.  Quotas were used to match Census targets for age, gender, and region to make the survey representative of the U. S. population.
 

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