Travel Research Round-Up for this Week
What travelers are thinking, doing and needing changes constantly. To help you make sense of the research findings each week, the Ohio Travel Associations provides this one-page summary.
Travel Sentiment Research
MUSEUMS AND OTHER CULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS SEEING MORE FIRST-TIME AND RE-ENGAGED VISITORS
Key findings from Colleen Dilenschneider April 14:
- Exhibit-based cultural organizations are seeing a high percentage of first-time visitors and re-engaged (those who haven’t attended in the past three years).
- In 2020, the percent of visitors from these two groups was 14% of attendance versus 9% in 2019.
- The increase is likely due to more local and regional trips during the pandemic.
- This has also created a slight increase in diverse audiences, with 15% visiting the organization self-identified as non-white in 2020 versus 11% in 2019.
- The pandemic is also providing an opportunity to better engage local, regional, and suburban audiences who may not have visited in a while or ever at all.
April 12, 2021
TRAVELERS REPORT FEELING LESS GUILTY; BOOKING WINDOWS REMAIN SHORT; SEEKING ESCAPES AND NEW EXPERIENCES
Key findings from Destination Analysts fielded Apr. 9-11:
- 39.1% of American travelers report not feeling guilty traveling, surpassing 36.7% who do feel guilty traveling.
- Over 86% of travelers currently have at least tentative leisure travel plans.
- As for what is motivating travelers right now:
- 64.8% want to relax or escape stress.
- 59.8% want to get away from daily life.
- 59.7% want to spend time with family.
- Many travelers are seeking newness as well. These include:
- 51.4% wanting to escape from boredom.
- 48.1% want to have new experiences.
- 44.8% want to visit a new place.
- 35.3% want good experiences for their children.
- 33.5% want to party, hangout, have fun.
- 23.0% want to meet new people.
- 45.7% or American travelers say they plan to book travel reservations closer to their travel date.
- Over 40% of travelers who will be making hotel, car, rental, attraction and event bookings say they will be booking less than four weeks out.
- 28.5% of air travelers say they will purchase their flights less than a month before travel.
- In regard to type of travel expected in the next three months:
- 52.4% are planning to book leisure travel.
- 36.8% want to visit friends and relatives.
- 12.0% are planning other.
- 11.4% are planning group meeting travel.
- 54.4% of business travelers say they would be happy if their employer asked them to attend an in-person conference, convention, or group meeting.
- When American business travelers expect to feel comfortable attending in-person conferences/group meetings:
- 17.3% reported they feel comfortable right now.
- 19.0% reported feeling comfortable in the spring.
- 25.8% reported feeling comfortable in the summer.
- 21.1% reported feeling comfortable later in 2021.
- 16.8% reported feeling comfortable in 2022 or later.