In this survey round, we added a new question pertaining to amenities usage. We’ve also broken down some questions highlighting responses from families living with children, and a new breakdown of red vs. blue states. Below are the key points:
- We continue to see a slow-rising readiness to travel, with 57% of respondents saying they would consider booking a trip in the next 30 days.
- The number of people who could not be persuaded to book a vacation continues to decline slowly.
- There are still contradictory findings about on-property safety. Virus precautions remain at the top of the list of topics consumers want to hear about from hotels, and fear of interacting with other guests and common areas are the top reasons preventing people from traveling now. However, the most popular response to how people would prefer to check in is still at the front desk.
- Fear of interacting with other guests and common areas saw a marked decline from the last survey.
- There is a large disparity of those who will definitely use an outdoor pool vs. an indoor pool while on vacation. We can see a difference here between state types and with families with children. Additionally, those families with children were more likely to use a lazy river and water slide, but water slide was still only 24%.
- There are notable differences in opinion between red and blue states for housekeeping preferences, things preventing travel, and what could persuade respondents to travel now.
- Open air destinations and 2 hour drive locations are still far more likely to be visited in the near future.
1. What is the first word that you think of when considering travel right now?
- Observation: “Safety” remains the most popular word.
- Data Comparison: “Scary” continues to shrink in size, although “risky” and “dangerous” remain at the same size we’ve seen through the last few surveys. The various forms of “relax,” have continued to be in the cloud, and “excited” is new to this edition. “Money” and “cost” have made a second appearance in the cloud, and “price” is new. These could indicate that people ARE thinking about traveling and talking about budget items.
- Opportunity: People are concerned for their safety above all, but they are also craving relaxation and freedom from their houses. What can you do to ease their mind about traveling to your property, with their budget concerns in mind?
2. Which of the following would most likely persuade you to book a future vacation during the coronavirus outbreak? (Check all that apply)
- Observation: Nearly 70% of people chose flexibility to change without penalty.
- Data Comparison: People saying that they could not be persuaded decreased for the fifth time, going from 19% to 16%. Reassurance of property sanitizing increased from 58% to 60%.
- Red vs. Blue: Red states voted 65% for flexibility vs. 71% for blue states. Blue states were more interested in a travel insurance policy vs. red.
- Opportunity: Clearly stating your cancellation policy and safety efforts, as well as any changes you have made to it in all marketing efforts is critical.
