Using first-party site data and a consumer sentiment survey, the final installment of the Tripadvisor Travel Index for 2021 indicates that over half (55 percent) of Americans are planning on traveling this winter. By comparison, this percentage is up from 50 percent who traveled during the same season in 2020, but below the 63 percent who did so in 2019.
Amid the ongoing uncertainties of the pandemic, 24 percent of Americans are still undecided about winter travel plans. About one-third (30 percent) have already booked their trips, but roughly three-quarters (74 percent) of those who haven’t done so are waiting until November or December to pull the trigger. So, there may be a wave of last-minute bookings during the cold-weather season, a trend which we’ve seen throughout the pandemic.
The Winter Travel Index found that the vast majority of U.S. travelers (94 percent) are keeping their trips domestic during the coming season. Continuing the COVID-era trend of Americans exploring more of their own country and seeking out new domestic experiences, more than one-third (37 percent) of these travelers will head to a destination they’ve never visited before, and 42 percent have booked a tour or activity.
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