Search Travel Market Report

mainlogo
www.travelmarketreport.com
U.S.A.
English
Canada
English
Canada Quebec
Français
  • News
  • Packaged Travel
  • Cruise
  • Hotels & Resorts
  • Destinations
  • Retail Strategies
  • Air
  • Training & Resources
  • Luxury Travel Report

Today’s American Traveler: What Travel Advisors Need to Know

by Dori Saltzman  March 21, 2022
Today’s American Traveler: What Travel Advisors Need to Know

Photo: John Gress Media Inc / Shutterstock.com

American travelers want to travel. They’re more interested in international travel than they have been in two years, they’re less worried about their health, and they’re strongly looking forward to traveling. Yet, financial constraints may put a strain on their travel budgets.

Such were some of the insights Erin Francis-Cummings shared with travel advisors attending the Travel Trade Summit at the New York Travel & Adventure Show in New York City. Francis-Cummings is the president and CEO of Destinations Analysts, a consultancy that has worked with more than 200 travel organizations.

Since March 2020, the company has been tracking traveler sentiment with its Travel Sentiment Index, with 85 editions of the Index now on record. According to Francis-Cummings, the enthusiasm for travel is near record levels, though actually travel levels, as based on air travel, “is still not yet fully recovered from the pandemic.”

In this first of a two-piece series, we examine traveler sentiment as it concerns people’s fear of COVID-19 and its impact on travel. We’ll also take a look at the slowly growing impact of financial strains on Americans’ travel plans.

Less Fear
At the same time that travelers are more enthusiastic about travel, they’re also less worried about any health risks.

The number of people highly concerned about contracting COVID-19 is down to pre-Omicron levels and Francis-Cummings anticipates that decline to continue.

Additionally, Americans’ confidence in the vaccine to keep them safe is back up.

“Americans are increasingly confident that they can travel safely in the current environment. In fact, only 14% lack confidence,” Francis-Cummings said. “COVID is slowly but surely losing its effect on Americans’ perceived ability to have meaningful travel experiences, which is now down to 43.5%, near a record low.”

There are also record low levels of anxiety from those who have recently traveled somewhere overnight. Plus, fewer people are worried about large social events. In fact, fear of large gatherings is at a near-record low of 46.6%.

“Similarly, fewer Americans are saying they’re going to avoid international travel, now down to 64.7%, a pandemic-era record low,” Francis-Cummings said.

With that said, 70% of Americans survey said they feel it’s important that destinations maintain their safety practices.

Some Financial Strain
Though the intent to travel is strong, financial strains may be beginning to take a toll.

“Be it inflation, rising gas prices, other economic concerns, some financial strain is beginning to be evident in American travel sentiment,” she warned.

The number of American travelers feeling that they or their household will be financially better off a year from now has dropped to 39.2% from 45.1% at the end of January. Optimism to travel more this year compared to last also dropped nearly 10 points, although Francis-Cummings emphasized it’s still at a “good level” at 35.9%.

Expectations to spend more on travel have also dropped, now down to 36.7%. The amount that Americans estimate they’re going to spend on travel this year fell to $3,788 from $4,283 the week of February 14.

More concerning, the percentage of Americans with at least one leisure trip planned in the next 12 months dropped six points to 87.2% over the course of the last four weeks. And the average number of trips people report they are going to take in 2022 has fallen from 3.3 to 2.9.

Finally, one-third of American travelers report that high prices have kept them from traveling in the last month.

High Levels of Optimism
Despite these financial concerns, 41.2% of American travelers still agree that right now is a good or very good time to spend on travel. And 61.5% continue to say that travel will be a high budget priority for them over the next three months.

“Excitement to travel is high,” Francis-Cummings said. “It’s extraordinary, it’s reached levels we haven’t seen since last summer before the Delta wave. Strong excitement for travel continues to grow among Americans. In fact, at record-breaking levels; 82.1% of Americans say they are highly excited about their travel in 2022.”

  
  
Related Articles
Ireland Drops All Remaining COVID-19 Travel Restrictions
Puerto Rico Is Dropping More COVID-19 Era Travel Restrictions
TSA Extends Mask Mandate Into April
Another Destination Drops COVID-19 Travel Requirements
The Last of the U.K.’s COVID Travel Rules Will End this Week
CDC Lowers Cruise Ship Travel Warning Once Again
Vaccinated Travelers Will Be Able to Enter New Zealand in May
Travel, and Tourism, in Hawaii is Officially Back-to-Normal
CDC Downgrades Canada COVID-19 Travel Risk Level

MOST VIEWED

  1. La Liste Reveals Top 10 Hotels in the World for 2025
  2. Travel Leaders Network President John Lovell to Depart for Cruise Role
  3. Delta Air Lines Clarifies Schedule Change Policy for Travel Agencies
  4. Hilton Rewards Reservations Canceled Amid Transition of Playa Hotels to Hyatt
  5. Certares Takes Full Ownership of Avoya Travel, Andersons Depart
  6. American Airlines Launches First Touchless ID Lanes


  1. Former Virgin Voyages Head of Sales John Diorio Lands New Role at Celestyal
  2. Delta Is Now Requiring Agencies to Acknowledge and Accept Schedule Changes in PNR
  3. 8 Things to Know About Azamara Cruises
  4. Overtourism Backlash Heats Up in Europe as Summer Season Kicks Off
  5. Xanterra Travel Collection Names New CIO & Corporate Director of Sales
  6. Here Are All the New Cruise Ships Coming in 2026, 2027, and Beyond
TMR Subscription

Subscribe today to receive daily in-depth luxury coverage, analysis of luxury news, luxury trends and issues that affect how you do business. Subscribe now for free.

Subscribe to TMR

Top Stories
Headquarter Happenings: Gifted Travel Network Hosts 3rd Annual Symposium on Avalon Poetry II
Headquarter Happenings: Gifted Travel Network Hosts 3rd Annual Symposium on Avalon Poetry II

GTN is keeping its momentum going in the luxury space by offering coaching and partnership opportunities to its advisors.

The Top 11 Hottest Adventure Tours of 2025 (So Far)
The Top 11 Hottest Adventure Tours of 2025 (So Far)

Top tour operators talk their best-selling products for 2025.

4 Qualifying Questions Travel Advisors Should Ask Clients with Autism
4 Qualifying Questions Travel Advisors Should Ask Clients with Autism

Advice for selling accessible travel to neurodivergent customers, from the experts.

Gifted Travel Network on Trevello Deal: ‘Philosophy Was So Aligned’
Gifted Travel Network on Trevello Deal: ‘Philosophy Was So Aligned’

Though GTN was not looking for a buyer, Trevello’s new compensation model and common ideals helped seal the deal.

Travel Guard Releases Enhanced Self-Service Tool for Travel Advisors
Travel Guard Releases Enhanced Self-Service Tool for Travel Advisors

The enhanced version features a more intuitive, self-service experience.

InteleTravel Acquires Tickitto, Adding Ticketed Events & Experiences to Brand Portfolio
InteleTravel Acquires Tickitto, Adding Ticketed Events & Experiences to Brand Portfolio

The acquisition gives advisors booking access to tickets for concerts, NFL games, F1 races, and more.

TMR OUTLOOKS & WHITE PAPERS
View All
industry spotlight
https://img.youtube.com/vi/F3tnroIkhTQ/0.jpg
Mitsui Ocean Cruises, Beautiful Encounters with Japan
Advertiser's Voice
The Collette Premium Experience
About Travel Market Report Mission Meet the Team Advisory Board Advertise Syndication Guidelines
TMR Resources Calendar of Events Outlook/Whitepapers Previous Sponsored Articles Previous This Week Articles
Subscribe to TMR
Select Language
Do You Have an Idea Email
editor@travelmarketreport.com
Give Us a Call
1-(516) 730-3097
Drop Us a Note
Travel Market Report
71 Audrey Ave, Oyster Bay, NY 11771
© 2005 - 2025 Travel Market Report, an American Marketing Group Inc. Company All Rights Reserved | Terms and Conditions
Cookie Policy Privacy Policy Manage cookie preferences