KANSAS CITY, Mo. — MMGY Global has announced findings from the fifth wave of its Travel Safety Barometer report, a sentiment tracking study that measures American travelers’ perceptions of how safe it is to engage in specific travel behaviors on a scale of 0 (“extremely unsafe”) to 100 (“extremely safe”). The latest findings reveal travelers’ perceptions of safety are rising across all sectors, from domestic and international travel to lodging, cruising, dining and entertainment, transportation, and business travel.
With all states currently in some phase of reopening and international destinations also reopening, these milestones in COVID recovery appear to be having a positive impact on how travelers feel. Confidence in the safety of domestic travel overall experienced a 10-point jump, scoring 34 in May and rising to 44 in June. International travel experienced a similar 10-point increase, but its overall score is still relatively low at 32. Transportation is on an upswing, with the Transportation Safety Barometer going from 56 to 60.
Travelers’ Confidence in Dining and Entertainment Activities Rises
Travelers reported feeling increasingly safe participating in all of the activities included in the survey, which includes going to a park, dining at a restaurant, and attending sporting events (indoors and outdoors) as well as outdoor festivals. Outdoor activities continue to be considered much safer than indoor experiences, with going to the beach at the top with a safety score of 50.
Lodging Safety Score Steadily Improving
After several weeks of stagnation, travelers’ perceptions of lodging safety saw a sharp rise, with the Lodging Safety Barometer increasing from 35 to 44 over the last month. This correlates with most major hotel brands starting to promote stringent new hygiene protocols for the wellness of guests and employees. The safety scores for staying in a hotel or resort and staying in a vacation rental home are neck and neck.
Perceptions of Domestic Air Travel Safety Have Increased 20 Percent Since May
While most respondents still believe traveling by car is the safest form of travel (score of 74), travelers are beginning to report an elevated sense of safety when traveling by other forms of transportation, including domestic air travel and train travel. Respondents ranked the safety of domestic travel at 36 points in the latest wave of MMGY Global’s study.
Business Travel
Although improved technology, the popularity of video conferencing platforms, and the complexities of attending a crowded conference may have corporate travelers reconsidering the need to travel, business travel metrics increased in June, going from a score of 29 to 36—a seven-point jump.
The Travel Safety Barometer survey is conducted monthly among 1,200 U.S. residents who have taken an overnight trip for either business or leisure in the past 12 months. Wave four of the survey was conducted May 8, 2020, and wave five was conducted June 9, 2020.
