Travelers aren't letting the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic stop them from planning future travel.
More than half of travelers have rebooked or plan to rebook canceled trips in 2021, according to an IHG Hotels & Resorts survey of 6,000 people, including 2,000 Americans, conducted by OnePoll in January.
Six in 10 travelers canceled between one and four trips last year, based on IHG's research. The study also found that as many as one in five people plan to make up for their lack of travel in 2020 by going on more trips this year. One in five also hopes to reach a place on their bucket list in 2021.
As previous studies have shown, the COVID-19 vaccine rollout will play a vital role in travel's recovery. More than one-third of respondents (34 percent), including 50 percent of people 55 and older, indicated that they plan to hold off on travel until the COVID-19 vaccine is more widely available. In the meantime, 40 percent of travelers say they need a trip to look forward to.
"It's often said that travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer, and our survey results prove that people are hungry for those rich experiences again," IHG's Chief Customer Officer Claire Bennett said in a statement. "But the world has changed, and travel decisions must be made more thoughtfully. As we look ahead, we've all had a lot of time to think about what travel means to us, what trips are most important, and how we want to reconnect with loved ones."
"So, whether it's that longed-for family beach vacation, a weekend getaway with friends, your first in-person business meeting, or a special anniversary trip-our family of 16 brands is ready to help open up the world when the time is right and welcome travelers back with confidence, as we embark on the next chapter of travel," Bennett concluded.
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