2021 Travel Trends to Watch
To call 2020 unpredictable seems to be quite an understatement. Travel slowed down but planning for travel didn’t as much, since it gave people hope and anticipation. In fact, the recent Vrbo report shows 82% of families already have travel plans for 2021. We even saw a segment of guests that were able to book longer stays to work remotely while their children were in virtual school. Even though most families had to cancel plans due to COVID-19 restrictions and precautions, travel is still top of mind for 2021, especially for those receiving stimulus money who can use some of that to plan a flexcation.
Here are some travel directions to watch, according to the Vrbo Trend Report 2021:
Some pandemic-era travel habits show no signs of slowing down, including road trips, visiting the great outdoors, and taking flexcations – a longer stay mixing work and play.
• 59% of families say they are more likely to drive instead of fly on their next trip.
• 61% of families said they are more likely to visit an outdoorsy destination than an urban one.
• 52% of travelers who took a flexcation this year found the experience refreshing.
Families aren’t giving up on travel despite all the canceled vacations in 2020. Once travel returns to pre-COVID levels, travelers plan to go all out – whether it’s traveling more frequently, spending more money or finally taking that bucket list trip.
• 65% plan on traveling more than they did pre-COVID.
• 33% are willing to spend more than they traditionally would.
• 54% say they are more likely to take their bucket list trip.
Airbnb’s travel trends for 2021 are similar to Vrbo’s report:
Basically, they look like what we’ve seen since April 2020 where people will prefer to book more entire homes instead of rooms or apartments, travel with 3 people or more (family or groups of friends), to traditional vacation rental destinations, and for longer stays. 2021 impacts according to Airbnb:
• Continued remote working will blur the line between work and travel.
• 83% of respondents are in favor of relocating as part of remote working.
• a 128% increase in guest reviews mentioning “relocation”, “relocate”, “remote work” and “trying a new neighborhood”
• On Airbnb, people who have the opportunity to work from anywhere are actively booking longer stays (2+ week trips) in small-to-mid-size cities with access to immersive natural surroundings and wide-open spaces.
• International travel, especially long-haul, will still be impacted. Instead, people will want to use travel to reconnect with friends and family in safe and controlled ways.
• Domestic travel will continue to be a key trend in 2021, with 62% of people interested in taking a vacation within driving distance of home.
• US: Domestic locations in national parks, winter ski and beach towns are becoming the most popular
• 2021 booking patterns: Entire homes have officially replaced apartments as the top space type among guests in 202. More off the beaten path stays like cabins and cottages crack the top five space types for 2021 trips, replacing villas and townhouses from 2020.
• Safety and cleanliness will continue to be top of mind for travelers, driving a preference for private, entire homes over-crowded hotels.
Takeaways: Trends favor larger vacation rentals in more rural settings outside of cities, for longer stays with their “quaranteam” families, more last-minute books, and always keeping an eye on the upgraded cleaning standards and enhancements for safety.
If you have questions, contact Ascent at clientsuccess@ascentpaymentsolutions.com.
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