Everyone has a touch of cabin fever after the worldwide coronavirus lockdowns. So it’s no surprise that people want to travel soon. But how soon may come as a surprise.
Jill Kaiserman, a retired teacher from Wayne, Pennsylvania, is eager to trade one cabin for another. She’s already made plans to drive to her second home in Maine this summer.
“It’s the perfect kind of place for social distancing,” she says.
Whether it’s a cabin in the woods or a cruise ship cabin, Americans are dreaming of their next trip. And not just dreaming, but booking.
“Travel advisers anticipate an influx of calls in the next six to eight weeks for those looking to plan future trips,” says Misty Belles, a spokeswoman for Virtuoso, a travel agency group.
Why? Maybe it’s because there’s a pent-up demand for travel. People missed their spring break cruises and theme park vacations. Then they had to sit in their homes and apartments for weeks. Now they just want to get out of town.
A new survey by Destination Analysts suggests American travelers feel the worst of the coronavirus may soon be over. Their first order of business when the lockdowns lift? One in five say they’ll book a trip.
“Traveler optimism is increasing,” says Gavin Harris, commercial director of strategic partnerships at the travel-booking site Skyscanner. His site’s research suggests that 85% of Americans believe it will be safe to fly domestically by this fall and 74% think an international flight will be OK.
Where’s the pent-up demand for travel after the lockdowns lift?
Three types of travel will bounce back quickly after the lockdown lifts, according to experts.
- Business, particularly meetings and conventions
- Road trips to nearby destinations to visit friends and family
- Luxury getaways, including cruises, safaris and resort vacations
Business travel: Prepare for a deluge
The outlook for business travel is complicated. While many road warriors will switch to Zoom meetings, other types of corporate travel will need to get out there soon. That’s because there’s been a two-month pause in bookings and lots of pent-up demand.
