01/08/2021

Update 01/08/2021: Ohio's Travel Industry and the Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Economic Relief Updates

A summary of the travel-related provisions in the new federal relief packages is available here.  

Thank you to all who sent letters, made calls and told your stories so that Congress could understand the importance of action. Your efforts helped!

Aid to be provide includes: 

• $325 billion for small businesses, including the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP)
• The bill expands eligibility for destination marketing organizations (DMOs) with, we believe, fewer than 300 full-time and part-time employees, though we are still waiting to confirm the exact number
• The bill will provide a second round of PPP loans, with loan forgiveness, for small businesses with fewer than 300 employees AND a 25% revenue loss in any quarter of 2020
• $2 billion for airports, including set asides for airport concessionaires
• Expands and enhances the Employee Retention Tax Credit
• Extends the Coronavirus Relief Fund to the end of 2021
• $15 billion for theater operators, movie theatres, and small venue owners through Save our Stages Act 

Additional resources generated by US Travel this week include the following:

US Travel Highlights of Relief

COVID Relief Slide Deck from US Travel

Work for additional relief will continue at the federal level with the new Administration in place, as well as at the state level. 

FUNDS AVAILABLE FOR LIQUOR PERMIT-HOLDING BUSINESSES 

Governor DeWine reminded Ohioans that there are funds available for those holding on-premise liquor permits. Although it's called the Bar and Restaurant Fund, remember these are available to any business holding these permits, including hotels, movie theatres, bowling alleys, etc. $2,500 is available per location, and there are many who have not applied. This money does not have to be repaid. Any venue in Ohio that has a current liquor license is encouraged to apply. 

Other COVID-19 Updates  

EMPLOYERS CAN MANDATE VACCINATIONS

During one of OTA's most recent Travel Talks, industry members discussed whether or not an employer can mandate vaccinations. Earlier this year, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) issued guidance saying employers have this right. Click here for additional information. 

GOVERNOR DEWINE EXTENDS CURFEW THROUGH JAN. 23, 2021

Governor DeWine announced that the Ohio Department of Health will be extending the 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. statewide curfew until Jan. 23, 2021. 

Travel Research Updates

WHILE ASPIRATIONS TO TRAVEL ARE RISING, MOST AMERICANS DON'T ANTICIPATE TRAVELING TILL MAY; ONE IN FOUR ARE BROWSING IDEAS ONLINE

Key findings from Destination Analysts fielded Jan. 1-3.

• After dropping in the latter half of December, Americans pessimistic that the pandemic will get worse in the U.S. in the next month increased this week to 55.9%. There are rising anxieties about the pandemic’s impact on personal finances and the national economy.
• Nearly half of Americans say they are not confident they can travel safely in the current environment.
• Yet travel is a beneficiary of the new year’s hope. Americans highly open to travel inspiration is up over 6% in the last week (52.6%), and Americans in a travel ready state-of-mind returned to 52.9% after dropping below 50% at the end of December. Inversely, loss of interest in travel has retreated 6 percentage points in the last three weeks to 43.3%.
• As Americans look out over their travel year in this first week of January, they cautiously see an average of three leisure trips in 2021 (Note: if this expectation holds true, leisure trips will be down approximately 39% from 2019 levels). It appears trips will ramp up beginning in May, peak in July, ramp back down in October and bump up again in December.
• The percent of American travelers who say that they will avoid travel until vaccines are widely available has fallen to 46.7%; meanwhile more Americans than ever are saying they will take the vaccine (60.1%).
• Over 38% of American travelers say they have day-dreamed about taking a trip in the last week and a third have talked to a friend or relative about a future trip. Nearly a quarter of American travelers have researched travel ideas online just in the past week.
• About 18% anticipate their first trip by commercial airline in 2021 will be in the second quarter (April-June).
• The majority of Americans do not plan to travel in the next three months—37.5% do. While 84.5% of these trips will indeed be overnight trips, 66.2% will be regional, and over a third of those traveling say they will be staying in the home of a friend or relative. Both cities and small towns and rural areas will most commonly be visited, however the pandemic will still be dictating trip behaviors. 41.3% plan to visit less crowded places and 30.2% plan to visit outdoor-oriented destinations.
• In terms of the channels they feel most receptive to travel messaging in, Millennial and Gen Z travelers say Instagram and Facebook, Gen X and Baby Boomer travelers say search engines and email campaigns.

ALTHOUGH EAGER TO TRAVEL, AMERICANS WILLINGNESS TO GET ON THE ROAD MY BE DUE TO PERSONAL FINANCES AND VACCINATION STATUS

Findings from a Yahoo Finance and The Harris Poll fielded Dec. 18-21: 

• Only 14% of Americans have booked travel out of state in 2021 so far, and just 28% of Americans plan to travel out of state within three months of getting vaccinated.
• Half of survey respondents said they plan to travel out of state within six months of their vaccines.
• Older Americans showing greater intent with 50% of respondents 65 and older saying they wouldn’t feel comfortable traveling until their vaccines. Young adults are twice as likely to travel less frequently after getting vaccinated.
• This may be due to finances. 54% of people 18 to 34 were unable to save money during the pandemic, compared to slightly less (49%) of people over 65.
• Almost two-thirds of families with income of more than $100,000 plan to travel, while just 37% making under $50,000 will travel out of state within six months of their vaccines.  The richer $100k+ cohort indicated they’d travel more frequently — or the same amount — and lower-income $50,000 households said they would likely travel less.
• More people are more comfortable staying with relatives (70%) and at hotels (65%) than at a short-term rental like an Airbnb or VRBO (50%.)

NEARLY HALF OF AMERICAN TRAVELERS PLANNING TO TAKE A TRIP SPRING OR SUMMER, WHILE 26% ARE UNDECIDED

Key findings from Longwoods International fielded Dec. 16-20:

• As COVID-19 case numbers continue to rise, 72% of U.S. travelers expect to change their travel plans in the next six months. Since mid-November, there has been a steady increase in travelers canceling their plans, up to 41% this past week. Despite this, 57% of American travelers still have travel plans in the next six months.
• Concerns around the coronavirus continue to be the main impediment to travel. 52% of U.S. travelers stated it would greatly impact their travel in the next six months while only 20% of U.S. travelers indicate that the economy would greatly impact their decision to travel, a slight increase from earlier this month but still relatively low.
• Rebuilding travelers’ confidence will be key to seeing improvement in their perception of travel and safety within and outside their communities. 46% of U.S. travelers indicated they do not plan to travel until a vaccine is available to them, up from 41% two weeks ago. 44% feel safe venturing outside of their local communities, up from 39% last month. This wave also saw a slight increase in the percentage of travelers who support opening their own local communities to visitors, now at 35%.
• When asked about travel plans in 2021, 26% of traveling Americans are still deciding if and when they plan to take a trip. Nearly half of travelers (47%) indicated they are planning to take their first trip in the late Spring or Summer of 2021. Only 2% of travelers indicated they do not plan to take any trips next year.