A new study by Harvest Hosts, a membership program that allows self-contained RVers opportunities for unique overnight stays, conducted a poll of more than 10,000 people and found that Americans are itching to travel this year, but not in an airplane.
Seventy-six percent of respondents said they plan to travel more than they did in 2020, and nearly 60 percent plan to travel more than they did in 2019 – before the pandemic. However, more than 80 percent said they do not plan to travel internationally this year; and more than two-thirds – 69 percent. – said they do not feel safe traveling on an airplane. Ninety-nine percent of total respondents said that they felt safe traveling in an RV, and 53 percent of total respondents said they planned to exclusively travel using RVs in 2021.
“After the rough year we had in 2020, people are itching to hit the road. For many, travel is a basic human necessity. What we’re seeing is that you don’t have to travel halfway around the world to scratch this itch,” said Joel Holland, CEO of Harvest Hosts. “The survey results may seem extreme, but it comes down to the fact that many still have reservations about air travel. The data shows that people will continue opting for the safety of road trips, leading to a boom in backyard exploration and growing interest in RVing.”
Increased road travel has provided more opportunity for Americans to visit states and areas they might not have otherwise.
According to the survey, the most popular states visited in RVs were California, Florida, Arizona, Texas, and Oregon. The least popular states to visit were Wyoming, South Carolina, South Dakota, Alaska, and Alabama.