Post COVID Travel Summary

©2016 Syntegrate Consulting
Post-COVID Travel
Research Summary
Recommendations For The
Travel Industry
May 12th, 2020
™

OUTLINE
1. Key Findings
2. Pre-COVID Travel Plans
3. COVID’s Impact on Pre-COVID Travel Plans
4. Current Travel Attitudes
5. Post-COVID Travel Intentions
6. Factors Impacting Future Travel Decisions
7. Recommendations

ANALYTICAL APPROACH
This meta-analysis represents 9 different surveys and several articles written
on the topic of how travel is being impacted by COVID-19.
Each survey was studied in order to identify the most beneficial narrative to
companies in the tourism and hospitality industries.
All surveys conducted in March/April/May, dates sourced on each slide.
The data conclusions address leisure travel only.
Caveat: Since this analysis compares data from different surveys, take the
results as directional in nature only.

5
“I travel a lot. I hate having my life disrupted by routine.”
- Caskie Stinnett

6
People who love to travel won’t be kept down once
they are liberated from being quarantined.
71% of people “can’t wait to get out and travel again.”

KEY FINDINGS - OVERALL
1. The vast majority of people surveyed (90%) had some type of travel or
event planned pre-COVID.
2. 79% who had plans in the next 6 months will alter their trip in some way,
with 58% cancelling the trip all-together.
3. 54% of people surveyed plan to take a leisure trip in 2020.
• 67% plan to take their first post-restriction trip domestically, by car:
- 52% to visit friends and/or family
• 50% of travellers committed to going international
4. Overall, people are more comfortable staying in a hotel vs. vacation condo.
5. 78% feel COVID will have the biggest impact on travel decisions:
• # of people requiring a vaccine first is on the decline

TBD
1. Intentions for travel in the next 6 months
Source: MMGY Travel Intelligence: April 17 - 22
KEY FINDINGS – BY AGE
(w/ o 4/ 24)
LODGING TRANSPORTATION TRIP TYPE
H / R VRH Car D. Plane I. Plane Dom Int’l Cruise Group
18 - 34 29% 30% 50% 30% 28% 30% 23% 20% 19%
35 - 49 37% 30% 62% 35% 20% 43% 23% 15% 18%
50 - 64 45% 20% 76% 36% 16% 40% 18% 8% 5%
65+ 30% 12% 80% 28% 12% 40% 12% 7% 3%

90% of travellers had
travel or events
planned and
confirmed prior to
COVID-19.
April 17 - 22

COVID’S IMPACT
ON PRE-COVID
TRAVEL PLANS

TBD
1. Week of April 29th
Source: https://longwoods-intl.com/news-press-
release/covid-19-travel-sentiment-study-wave-8
79%1
of travellers planning to travel in the next 6 months will alter
their plans in some way.
79% of travelers
selected at least one
of these options.

TBD
Percentage of travellers planning to alter their travel plans
peaked the week of April 8th.

TBD
Travelers are changing to trips that are closer to home, choosing
to drive rather than fly.

Travellers are
starting to feel safer
about engaging in all
travel-related
activities.
April 17 - 22

Travellers are becoming more eager to travel, particularly by car
and closer to home.
April 17 - 22

TBD Source: https://destination-analysts-
coronavirus-travel-sentiment-index-
report.square.site/
Data collected May 1-3, 2020
H ow m u ch d o yo u a g r e e : I m i s s t r ave l i n g .
I c a n’ t w a i t t o g e t o u t a n d t r ave l a g a i n .
63.1%
69.1% 69.3% 70.2%
65.9%
70.6%

Likelihood of
taking a domestic
leisure trip has
increased.
April 17 - 22

Likelihood of
engaging in most
travel activities in
the next 6 months
is increasing.
April 17 - 22

Younger travellers expected to travel most during next 6 months;
older travellers more likely to do so by car.
April 17 - 22

D o yo u h ave a n y t r i p s b o o ke d fo r Ju n e -
D e c e m b e r 2 0 2 0 ?
54% of travellers have leisure trips planned in 2020.
1. April 5 - 9
Source: https://luggagehero.com/covid-19-travel-sentiment-monitor/
No
Yes, a trip for 2
Yes, a family trip or a group trip (3+ people)
Yes, a solo trip
Yes, a business trip
54%

Travellers with plans in the next 6 months was trending
down but may now be on the rise.
1.WeekofApril29
Source:https://longwoods-intl.com/news-press-

E ve n i f o n l y t e n t at i ve l y s ch e d u l e d , i n w h i ch
m o n t h s o f t h i s ye a r d o yo u c u r r e n t l y p l a n t o
t a ke a l e i s u r e l y t r i p ?
July, August, & September have the highest number of travellers with at least
tentative plans to travel.
Source: https://destination-analysts-coronavirus-
travel-sentiment-index-report.square.site/

A r e yo u c o n s i d e r i n g g i v i n g u p t r ave l l i n g
b e t w e e n Ju n e - D e c e m b e r 2 0 2 0 eve n i f yo u
a l r e a d y b o o ke d a t i cke t ?
79% of travellers will still visit their destinations as long as their homeplace
and the destination won’t be in quarantine.
21%
79%

I f yo u w i l l t r ave l , d i d yo u r i t i n e r a r y ch a n g e
b e c a u s e o f t h e c u r r e n t s i t u at i o n ?
Only 30% of leisure travellers have adjusted their at-destination itinerary
because of safety concerns.
No, I will visit the places I wanted to
see when I booked the trip
Yes, I will focus on the outdoors and
avoid big cities as much as possible
Yes, I will try to avoid public transportation,
therefore I cannot see everything I wanted
My plans included a big meeting/conference
which is or will be cancelled
Other
46%
17%
13%
8%
16%
30%
1. April 5 - 9

A r e yo u c o n s i d e r i n g r e p l a c i n g i n t e r n at i o n a l
t r ave l w i t h d o m e s t i c t r ave l i n 2 0 2 0 ?
50% of travellers are committed to travelling international in 2020.
1. April 5 - 9

D i d yo u r 2 0 2 0 t r ave l b u d g e t ch a n g e b e c a u s e
o f t h e C OV I D - 1 9 s i t u at i o n ?
In March, nearly 50% of travellers said they won’t change their travel budget in
2020, but that number dropped to 35% in April.
United States 48%
12% 16% 13%
12%
35%
14% 15% 17% 19%

H ow s o o n w i l l yo u t r ave l a f t e r t r ave l
r e s t r i c t i o n s a r e l i f t e d ?
61% of travellers will travel in the first 6 months after restrictions are lifted.

W h e r e d o yo u p l a n t o t a ke yo u r f i r s t t r i p ?
67% plan to take their first post-restriction trip domestically, by car.

52% of travellers plan to take their first post-restriction trip to
visit friends and / or family.
1. Week of April 29

I n w h at m o n t h d o yo u ex p e c t yo u w i l l t a ke
yo u r N E X T T R I P o n a c o m m e r c i a l a i r l i n e ?
Almost 50% of travellers plan to take a commercial flight in 2020.
Source: https://destination-
analysts-coronavirus-travel-
sentiment-index-report.square.site/

FACTORS IMPACTING
FUTURE TRAVEL
DECISIONS

COVID is the biggest factor impacting people’s travel
decisions over the next 6 months.
1. Week of April 29

Travellers requiring a COVID vaccine before traveling is on the decline.
Source: https://destination-analysts-coronavirus-travel-
sentiment-index-report.square.site/
H ow m u ch d o yo u a g r e e : I ’ m n o t t r ave l i n g
u n t i l t h e r e i s a v a c c i n e .
36.5%
35.1%
29.8%

1. Week of April 29
The impact of COVID on people’s travel decisions is already
beginning to decline.

Expect to see the impact of the economy on travel decisions
to increase over time.
1. Week of April 29

Source: https://www.ustravel.org/sites/default/files/media_root/document/Edelman_Travel_Hospitality_COVID_Report.pdf
Where the focus was once convincing travellers to choose
your brand over competitors, now we must convince the to
overcome their fears so they travel.

Source: https://www.ustravel.org/sites/default/files/media_root/document/Edelman_Travel_Hospitality_COVID_Report.pdf

RECOMMENDATIONS
Strategy
1. Be very clear on your target profile:
• Age
• Preferences in Lodging, Transportation, Trip Type
2. Identify the emotional and behavioral hurdles you must overcome:
• Emotional:
- Fear of contracting COVID
- Fear of sanitation standards not being followed
- Etc.
• Behavioral – “I may not…”
- Take a cruise
- Get on a plane
- Stay at a FabStayz
- Etc.

RECOMMENDATIONS
Communications
1. Start by reflecting something that is emotionally meaningful to your target –
reflect why they travel.
2. If you feel you must address the quarantine, do it in a way that is specific to
your target, not all of humanity.
3. Imbed your brand’s unique personality and language throughout the
communication, don’t just “present the facts ma’am.”
4. Don’t be afraid to acknowledge you are in an industry that is vulnerable
and ask for people’s support – be vulnerable, it builds loyalty.

RECOMMENDATIONS
Other
1. If you offer shared accommodations, build a story about safety vs. hotels:
• Over-emphasize sanitation processes since not done by a professional staff – offer
specific details and products used.
• Mention there are fewer people than in a hotel, reducing risk.

©2016 Syntegrate Consulting
47
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