Here are the results of Indagare’s latest Travel Sentiment Survey, with opinions from more than 1,200 respondents surveyed, who offered their perspectives on travel during Covid, conducted one year after the pandemic was officially declared.Our recent Indagare Travel Sentiment Survey pinpoints new attitudes about how members of our community are feeling about travel during Covid—and once vaccines become more widespread. Where are people traveling internationally and domestically now? Where do they want to go next and why? How safe do they feel on airplanes? What is driving your travel plans? With vaccination availability increasing, we expect to see a significant uptick in once-in-a-lifetime trips, based on the results of the survey. We know many of you can’t wait to get back to Europe and other destinations abroad that remain inaccessible. In the meantime, we will continue to gather all of the latest intelligence on what is open to Americans until then and are here to advise you on safe travels for the months ahead. Read on for the results of our latest community survey.RelatedIndagare’s Guide to Traveling Safely and Responsibly During Covid
Health & Safety First
Amid news about Covid variants and the promise of more widespread distribution of new and existing vaccines around the globe (and especially in the U.S.), travelers polled by Indagare indicated they are hopeful and excited about travel, while remaining somewhat cautious: Thirty percent of respondents have now indicated their perspective on travel has shifted to a cautious and safety-first mindset. By contrast, travelers polled by Indagare in May 2020, just six weeks after WHO declared Covid-19 a pandemic, were hopeful but anxious, and 84 percent said their primary concern was exposure to others or becoming ill while traveling. The shift may be subtle, but indicates a more optimistic outlook on travel now, 11 months later. A top concern among travelers surveyed is still the risk of spreading the virus, rather than becoming sick from it. Just shy of 40 percent of travelers (39.61 percent) indicated they were extremely concerned about the potential of exposing others and loved ones to Covid. It’s also clear that travelers surveyed feel a sense of personal responsibility and accountability when it comes to making travel decisions that could impact others. “I have been traveling domestically to limited destinations for extended periods of time. I feel responsible to do my part to prevent the spread of the virus,” explained one respondent. “I can't wait to travel internationally, but feel responsible to the global community not to do so until I am vaccinated.” Nearly one third (30.6 percent) of those surveyed will not travel until vaccinated or until the CDC declares travel is safe or for the foreseeable future. There are also clear indications that there is still some anxiety about being exposed to Covid while traveling and not having access to proper medical care. When it comes to how Covid influences future travel decision-making more broadly, some travelers indicated that they are still in wait-and-see mode and that they would only travel if absolutely necessary; some are still “Quarandreaming;” and others said they are “yearning to escape,” “starting to plan” and “ready to go.” Interestingly, the hassles of testing and quarantining are not seen as impediments to travel today or in the future, which suggests travelers have become more adaptable and accepting of the use of Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) and the necessary protocols that have been put in place to protect them as much as possible. More than half of respondents (53 percent) are not at all or only slightly concerned by quarantine protocols before and after travel. Based on current reports, mask-wearing and sanitization measures are likely to remain in place for the foreseeable future and into 2022.