Have you been wondering how the dramatic increase in COVID-19 cases impacts our travel, shopping, and dining habits, especially with the surge in the more infectious Omicron variant? Here are some figures from a recent Longwoods International tracking study of American travelers.
The survey was fielded on January 5 and supported by Miles Partnership, employing a random sample drawn from a consumer panel of 1,000 adults, 18-years old or above. Results show the Omicron variant is indeed taking a toll on travel intentions and perceptions of health and safety. Here are some numbers:
The percentage of travelers planning a trip in the coming month has significantly dropped from 23% in October to 15% in January. On the flip side, it seems like travelers are looking to wait it out, as the percentage of those booking trips six months from now or later has increased from 19% in October to 23% in the Longwoods survey.
“Uncertainty about the present Omicron wave of infection has travelers postponing trips,” commented Amir Eylon, President and CEO of Longwoods International. “As with previous waves of coronavirus, the current state of the pandemic directly impacts both the planning and purchase of travel.”
The percentage of travelers who feel safe traveling outside their community is down from 70% in November to 61% in January, while confidence in shopping or dining locally shows similar declines. Moreover, travelers’ approval rate for opening up their local communities to outside visitors dropped from 61% in November to 53% most recently.
