Tripadvisor’s Travel Outlook & Industry Trends

Tripadvisor published a new report, “Beyond COVID-19: The Road to Recovery for the Travel Industry.” The study shows the world is still hungry for travel: Over two thirds of travellers (68%) reported already thinking about where they want to go next. 

Notable insights:

• Shorter trips to destinations closer to home are top of mind. Nearly half (44%) of consumers say they are mor
  e likely to take a road trip, and two thirds (61%) say they are most comfortable taking a road trip for 3-5 days.
• Consumers are 218% more likely to want to take a trip where they can relax compared to before the pandemic, and nearly two thirds (59%) report they would prefer to go somewhere off the beaten path versus a popular destination.
  • Nature and beach destinations, which combine relaxation with an environment conducive to social distancing, are surging in popularity. 
• Travelers around the globe have shown an increased interest in outdoor and nature activities. Skiing, camping, and hiking have emerged as priorities for travellers as they begin to think about future trips.
• Although many vacations have been cancelled or postponed, consumers remain hopeful about traveling: two in five (41%) are optimistic that they will take the same or more trips than last year. 
• A number of key markets (the United States, Germany, Taiwan, and Japan) showed more interest in travel in May 2020 than at this point in 2019, indicating pent up demand.
  • From as early as April, the Tripadvisor platform began to see steady week-on-week increases in traveller search activity. In particular, searches for domestic travel more than 90 days away began to noticeably increase in markets like the US, Germany, Australia and Japan.
• Nearly nine in ten (86%) consumers say cleanliness will be very important when selecting an accommodation after COVID-19, with the provision of hand sanitisers and sealed amenities, the frequency with which rooms are disinfected, and the use of temperature checks for employees and guests all now cited as top considerations

“Our focus over the last few months has been to actively keep the anticipation and excitement of travelling again alive. Now that we’re starting to see signs of the world cautiously moving into recovery, we’re equipping our hospitality and travel stakeholders with data, insights and tools to help them navigate the road ahead, while also providing guidance to consumers to help them plan their next trips,” said Jane Lim, VP Business Operations and Strategy for Global Markets at Tripadvisor.

The full report contains a plethora of other insights, including an analysis of each of the five stages to recovery, the change in travel and dining behaviours resulting from the ongoing pandemic, and more.  Let me know if you need supporting graphics or more information.