You’re hearing the buzz! Airplanes are starting to fill up, airlines are blocking middle seats less, the availability of rental cars are becoming scarce, and hotels and vacation rentals are booking up further into the future. People are antsy and want to travel. It looks like many are planning a summer vacation, and you don’t want to be left out, not being able to book your favorite destination. So you may want to book your travel now.
But don’t take our word for it. There’s a report for that….the Vrbo 2021 Travel Trends Report. The report is based on U.S. survey results from over 8,000 people from 8 countries as well as the data from Vrbo’s own global vacation rental marketplace. Information in the report is helpful in understanding what to expect when traveling for vacation this year. Here are some of the takeaways which you can use this year when planning your summer vacation.
Busy Time For Booking Travel
Typically, January through April is a busy time for planning and booking your vacation. Now is the time to book your travel because experts predict demand will likely skyrocket in May. As a matter of fact, according to the Vrbo study, 82% of families already have travel plans for 2021.
Reservations are filling up fast. You may not be able to reserve your desired location.
Don’t delay booking your flights. Many airlines are continuing the liberal change fees policies but they may be coming to an end soon. It’s important to check with your specific carrier to see what changes you can make without a penalty.
Pent Up Desire to Travel
People haven’t given up on family vacations, even though they had to cancel trips due to COVID. Instead, there is a lot of pent up energy around wanting to get out and travel. Think about it. You might have canceled a vacation during the last year due to COVID and you probably have saved vacation time that you can’t wait to use as a result. Of those surveyed, 44% of people who had a trip canceled due to COVID-19 plan on rescheduling the same vacation, and 65% plan on traveling more than they did pre-COVID. Even a third of them are willing to spend more on their vacation than they normally would.
Impact of Pandemic on How We Travel for Vacation
According to the study, the pandemic continues to have an impact on how and where we travel for vacation. Road trips, remote locations and doing a flexcation remain top on the list for the vacationers. Ok, so you may know what the first two are, but you may not have heard of a flexcation. We define flexcation and other new travel terms in another blog post. It’s when you stay longer on a trip, mixing work and play. And 52% of the travelers responding to the survey who said they took a flexcation this year found the experience refreshing and 67% said they would do it again. Now driving remains a strong travel option this year with 59% of families saying they are more likely to drive instead of fly on their next trip. Outdoor adventures are alluring with 61% of families more likely to visit an outdoorsy destination than an urban one. Vrbo noted the demand for cabins increased nearly 25% and chalets were up almost 20% year-over-year. Those properties located near lakes and rivers also were desired. People are looking to go on vacation while still being safe and having fun.
So there you have it. All these statistics show that if this is what you were thinking for your summer vacation, you are not alone…. And you better get busy planning and book your travel now, so there is a place for you to stay for vacay.
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