WASHINGTON – Sixty-one percent of Americans plan to travel overnight for leisure in the next four months and 34% of Americans expect to increase their overnight leisure travel this summer compared to last year, according to a new Summer travel poll survey commissioned by the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) and conducted by Morning Consult.
The Summer travel poll poll found that 31% of Americans said they plan to increase their number of hotel stays this summer compared to last summer.
Regarding business travel, 35% of Americans said they expect to take an overnight business trip in the next four months, and 16% said they plan to increase their level of business-related travel this summer compared to last summer.
Hotels remain the top lodging choice for both business (60%) and leisure (46%) travelers this summer.
The findings
Despite ongoing economic headwinds like labor shortages and high interest rates, these poll results offer a welcome boost for hoteliers. However, the survey shows that persistent inflation remains a significant obstacle to growth for hoteliers and other travel-related businesses. It found that over the next four months:
55% of respondents said inflation is likely to reduce their chance of staying in a hotel, down slightly from 56% in January.
51% said inflation is likely to reduce their chance of traveling overnight.
46% said inflation is likely to reduce their chance of traveling by airplane.
44% said inflation is likely to reduce their chance of renting a car.
The poll surveyed 2,202 U.S. adults from April 25-28, 2024. Other findings include:
52% of respondents said they are likely to travel overnight for a family trip in the next four months – up from 51% in January – 36% of whom said they would likely stay in a hotel.
42% said they are likely to travel overnight for a romantic getaway in the next four months, 56% of whom said they would likely stay in a hotel.
31% said they are likely to travel overnight for Memorial Day, 35% of whom said they would likely stay in a hotel.
32% of those surveyed ranked high-speed Wi-Fi as the top technological amenity they consider when evaluating hotels.
“This survey shows hotels are poised to benefit from a strong summer travel season, but it also underscores that inflation remains a stubborn obstacle to growth for our industry,” said AHLA Interim President & CEO Kevin Carey. Nationwide labor shortages, high interest rates, and aggressive regulations pose serious economic challenges for hoteliers. AHLA is taking the fight to all levels of government to remove these obstacles and support our members.”
The article Summer travel poll: 61% of Americans likely to travel for leisure first appeared in TravelDailyNews International.