Top Trends to Watch This Travel Season

BPT

 

 

After a devastating pandemic kept people in their homes for over a year, wanderlust is at an all-time high and more Americans are starting to travel again. In fact, 92 percent of Americans will travel, or already have, in 2021, with more than half (52 percent) going as soon as this summer, according to the Priceline Work-Life Balance report.

 

The report studied how travel has changed and what trends are emerging for the summer peak travel season.

 

Escapism is top of mind

When it comes to air travel, hotel stays and car rentals, Americans are prioritizing warm, tropical and entertainment-focused destinations, such as Hawaii, Las Vegas, Mexico and Orlando. Florida, in particular, is a traveler favorite right now. The Sunshine State dominates the top-10 destinations across all three categories with at least four cities on each list

 

 

Local exploration matters more than ever

When the pandemic took hold, flights came to an almost screeching halt. According to round-trip flight bookings on Priceline, travelers flew four billion miles fewer in 2020 than they did in 2019. Not only did people fly less often, but they also did not travel as far: The average distance dropped by 20 percent in 2020 (1,307 miles), compared with the same period in 2019 (1,654 miles).

 

Instead, Americans are opting to explore locally, with 70 percent of car rentals used for road trips within their own state and driving an average of 184 miles. Likewise, today’s travelers are booking hotel stays within their own states 10 percent more than prior years.

 

Wallet-friendly stays in the South and West

Travel deals are more important than ever. This year, the average hotel stay costs under $125 a night in Las Vegas; the Black Hills, South Dakota; Denver and Orlando, which means you can enjoy a great getaway without blowing your budget.

 

 

Package deals enable workcations

The blurring of work-life boundaries gave rise to the “bleisure” trip or workcation, a hybrid of business and leisure travel. As flexible work schedules become a long-term possibility for many, these extended leisure-first trips, which incorporate remote work as part of the experience, will continue to drive booking preferences. Because of this, there is is an increased interest in bundled or package trips, which are conveniently booked together and offer savings.

 

As domestic tourism ramps up, expect to see continued preference for beach getaways and entertainment, alongside an ongoing appreciation for the local surroundings and an increased willingness to blend vacations with work.

 

For the complete list of trends and details on how Americans are traveling today, visit press.priceline.com.

 

This article is provided by Brandpoint. It’s published here with permission.

 

Highbrow Magazine

 

Image Sources:

 

--Brandpoint

--Michael Quinn (National Park Service, Creative Commons)

 

 

Popular: 
not popular
Bottom Slider: 
Out Slider