Generali Global Assistance has announced the U.S. findings of its 2021 Holiday Barometer – the 20th anniversary of the annual poll sponsored by its parent company, Europ Assistance, and conducted by the consumer research firm Ipsos. The survey was conducted between May 5-20.
Based on the survey of 1,000 Americans, the pandemic is still making Americans leary of travel. There is a noticeable drop in summer travel plans, with only 50 percent of respondents indicating they will be taking a summer vacation in 2021 – an 18-point drop from 2019 pre-pandemic levels. Americans indicated they expect travel to return to normal, with no masks or other COVID-19 related precautions, in 2022.
“Given the lingering impacts of the pandemic, it is reassuring that Americans are optimistic for travel normalizing in 2022,” said Chris Carnicelli, CEO of Generali Global Assistance. “While travel numbers are down for this summer, budgets are remaining very close to pre-pandemic numbers and there is an optimism that the future is bright for Americans traveling both domestically and abroad. Americans are increasingly seeing travel as a lifestyle investment and as they would other investments like their home or car, they are looking to protect it with insurance.”
Some of the survey’s other findings:
- Fifty percent of respondents are planning to travel during the months of July through September coinciding with summer vacation in the US.
- Travel budgets slipped slightly in the United States. Americans expected to spend $2,319 this year which is a scant 2 percent drop from the $2,373 budgeted in 2019.
- While almost half of Americans surveyed have not decided on a summer destination, those who have are favoring domestic travel over international travel.
- Regardless of location – Americans have indicated they are heading to the beach, indicating it as their top destination across all age groups.
- Americans who are traveling are among most organized in the world as they already booked at least part of their upcoming trip – trailing only Thailand and considerably ahead of Europe.