What Does Holiday Travel Look Like This Year?
Written by Team Clearcover
‘Tis the season of gift giving, cookie decorating, watching cheesy holiday movies, and—perhaps most importantly—taking that much-awaited and well-earned vacation. We conducted a survey* to determine this year's winter holiday travel trends and found that with the pandemic in the rearview mirror, most respondents are planning to hit the road to lock in much-deserved time with their loved ones this season. In this article, we’ve neatly wrapped (and tied with a bow) the rest of our key findings and what they mean for holiday travel this year.
Who is Traveling This Year
According to our survey results, it’s looking like more people are traveling (or are more likely to travel) than last year, and many of them—74 percent—are millennials (between 25-44 years old). 60 percent of respondents will (or are likely to) travel this year, compared to 37 percent last year, and 43 percent of those that did not travel in 2021 are planning to travel this year. We also found that visiting loved ones is a big travel motivator this year, with 65.8 percent of respondents citing visiting friends and family as their primary reason for traveling this holiday season.
They’re Bringing the Pets Along
What’s a trip for the holidays without your furry friends? 46 percent of those likely to travel this year are planning to bring their pets, and most of them are choosing to travel by car versus any other form of transportation—citing pet safety/comfort as the primary reason for their decision.
How People Are Traveling This Year
Pets or not, traveling by car is proving to be a common travel option this year. 69.1 percent of those planning to travel will be traveling by car (either personal or rental vehicle).
COVID-19 Is No Longer the Primary Concern
We’re seeing that people are less concerned about COVID-19 when it comes to traveling than they were last year. 34.5 percent of those surveyed said COVID-19 was the primary reason they did not travel in 2021, while only 10.1 percent cited COVID-19 as the reason they do not plan to travel this year.
Holiday Travel Spending Behavior for 2022
While cost remains top of mind this year, holiday spending isn’t going anywhere. While 63.5 percent of respondents expressed that cost was their biggest consideration when planning their 2022 holiday travel, the majority of those traveling again this year plan to spend the same amount, if not more, than they did traveling in 2021.
Stay Safe and Enjoy!
Before you hit the road, read up on how to prepare for a winter road trip so you and your vehicle can confidently take on whatever a long winter drive might throw your way. No matter what your holiday travel plans look like this year, Clearcover’s got your back (and front, and sides, and bumpers).
*Demographic: Surveyed 1,000 respondents; 50% male and 50% female; nationally; ages 25+
*Respondent qualifier: Must have a legal driver's license
