WASHINGTON, D.C.—As the holiday season approaches, American travelers have an abiding desire to travel, even as the country navigates the challenges of the pandemic, and a future trip—particularly domestically and with family members—remains a priority, according to a recent poll by the market research firm Destination Analysts.
This finding accords with the Let’s Go There initiative, which has consulted with researchers to identify the demonstrable benefits of looking forward to and planning a future travel experience. “Let’s Go There, Together,” a key message being shared by thousands of organizations on social and digital channels, reminds families this holiday of the joy that future travels together will bring after months of missed getaways and road trips. Content is tagged using the hashtag #LetsMakePlans.
Nearly half of American travelers (47 percent) report that they would feel either happy or very happy to receive a travel-related gift this holiday season. The findings come just before Black Friday and Cyber Monday promotions—many of which include flexible booking and cancellation policies.
“We all deserve a pick-me-up this holiday season more than ever, and thinking about your next trip is a great way to go about it,” said Roger Dow, president and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association, which helped found Let’s Go There. “Even if it needs to happen down the road, having a trip on the books is a phenomenal mood lifter, and offers and travel policies are incredibly favorable right now.
Nearly 60 percent of respondents agree that getting a vacation scheduled in the next six months would make them feel there is something happy to look forward to, according to Destination Analysts. This comports with research by the Institute for Applied Positive Research, which found that 71 percent of respondents to its survey reported feeling greater levels of energy knowing they had a trip planned in the next six months.
Since its launch in early September, the Let’s Go There movement has been embraced by over 3,000 travel organizations. The Let’s Go There Coalition, the initiative’s steering committee, is comprised of more than 80 businesses in the travel industry and beyond, including: American Airlines; American Express; the American Resort Development Association; Chase; Delta Air Lines; Disney Parks, Experiences and Products; Ecolab; Enterprise Holdings, Inc.; Expedia; Hilton; the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Visitor & Convention Bureau; Hyatt Hotels Corporation; the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority; Loews Hotels & Co; Marriott International; PepsiCo; Sabre; the South Dakota Department of Tourism; United Airlines; the U.S. Travel Association; Visa; Visit California; Visit Spokane; and World Cinema, Inc., among other organizations.
