06/11/2021
Update 06/11/21: Ohio's Travel Industry and the Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Economic Relief
REGISTER NOW IF YOU ANTICIPATE APPLYING FOR STATE RELIEF MONIES
Details about the industry grants programs announced earlier, including when applications will open, will be available soon. Before the Development Services Agency launches the programs, more details will be posted under Investing in Ohio’s Future at BusinessHelp.Ohio.Gov.
Each program will require applicants to have an OH|ID, and businesses that plan to apply can get an OH|ID now, if they don't already have one. Register in OH|ID (https://ohid.ohio.gov) by creating an account with a username/password. Click on Create OH|ID Account to set up an account in OH|ID. For help with the process, click here.
The programs are:
- Food and Beverage Establishment Grant: This program will provide grants of $10,000, $20,000, or $30,000 to restaurants, bars, coffee shops, and other food and drinking businesses. The amount of individual grants to eligible businesses will be determined by the loss of revenue in 2020.
- Entertainment Venues Grant: This program will provide grants of $10,000. $20,000, or $30,000 theaters, music venues, spectator sports venues, museums, and other entertainment venues. The amount of individual grants to eligible businesses will be determined by the loss of revenue in 2020.
- Lodging Grant: This program will provide grants of $10,000, $20,000, or $30,000 to hotels, motels, and bed and breakfast operations. The amount of individual grants to eligible businesses will be determined by the business' decline in occupancy rate in 2020.
- New Small Business Grant: This program will provide grants of $10,000 to small businesses that were established after Jan. 1, 2020, through Dec. 31, 2020.
Travel Research Updates
PROTOCOLS STILL IMPORTANT (PARTICULARLY AMONG YOUNG FAMILIES), BUT ONLINE TICKETING, NO INDOOR DINING AND OUTDOOR MASK WEARING APPEAR TO BE PROTOCOLS YOU CAN SAFELY DROP WITHOUT LOSING BUSINESS
Key findings from Impacts Research fielded June 4
- As of June 4, approximately 62% of high-propensity visitors to cultural entities in the United States believe that organizations should require all visitors to wear a mask.
- Households with children under 13 feel the strongest at 70%, while households without children who said masks should be mandatory is 55%.
- Researchers predict visitors will be divided like this for a while, as the rate at which travelers want businesses to operate “normal” has slowed.
- Indoor face coverings and special hours for those with health considerations are the top two health requirements visitors feel are important for safe visitor experiences, followed by social distancing.
- Wearing masks outdoors, waiting outside until there is enough capacity, purchasing tickets for time slots, and not eating or drinking while indoors are those visitors least believe are important for protecting their safety and the ones they may find irritating.
CUSTOMER SATISFACTION DIPS AMONG HOLIDAY TRAVELERS
Key findings from Destination Analysts fielded June 2-4, 2021
- Over the Memorial Day holiday, nearly a quarter of American travelers took a trip.
- Among these travelers, 65% said they had a negative-leaning experience—most commonly restaurants not being fully open (19%), crowding (19%) and poor COVID-19 safety standards (18%).
- That being said, nearly half (54%) said their Memorial Day trip helped them feel more comfortable with being out and traveling again.
- Given that households with families are still cautious due to vaccination rates, it’s good news that more American traveling parents say they’ll have their children vaccinated (60% versus 45% last week).
- Most Americans (roughly 80%) say they are ready to travel.
- The expected number of leisure trips in the next 3 months grew this week to 3.0 trips on average. While small towns and rural destinations are the likeliest types of destinations that travelers will visit, urban destinations are returning, with approximately 40% saying they anticipate visiting a city in the next 3 months. Average leisure trip spending during this time period is anticipated to be $1,810, higher than $1,691 reported last week.
- More Americans than ever during the pandemic recall seeing travel-related advertising, with 46% reporting seeing advertisements for travel destinations in the past month. Broadcast television (43%) and online advertisements (42%) were the top mediums in which Americans recall travel ads, while ads for hotels (44%) and theme parks (42%) were the types of ads most widely recalled.
- Travel ads are also bringing joy to Americans as well as influencing destination decisions. When asked to consider the most recent travel ad they saw, over half said these ads made them feel happy (53%). Importantly though, a third of American travelers say that they have indeed decided to visit a destination as a result of having seen an advertisement (32%).
- American travelers want ads that are honest, friendly and fun.
- Websites found via search engine, broadcast television, Facebook, streaming video, print magazines and email campaigns are the best ways to reach Americans with travel messaging.
- Younger travelers in particular (Millennials or younger and Gen X) are especially likely to turn to Facebook to learn about new destinations to visit.
- A significant rise compared to one year ago, the desire for a fun/entertaining tone in travel ads has increased 30 percentage points, from 22% to now 47%.
Research Round-Up
View the latest trends and traveler sentiments in this one-page research summary.