destination analysts’ the state of the american …...find destination ideas and inspiration?...
TRANSCRIPT
The Destinations Editionspending and budgetary prioritization. Our hopes are
that as the current crisis passes, this baseline optimism will
power the industry’s success as the year moves forward.
If you should have questions or ideas for future survey topics,
we welcome you to message us:
@DA_Research.
THE DESTINATIONS EDITION of The State of the American
TravelerTM finds a high baseline level of leisure traveler
optimism, yet the unfortunate outbreak of coronavirus will
undoubtedly greatly dampen expectations in the near-term.
The survey of American leisure travelers was taken in the
early stages of the outbreak, before the virus was noted in
the United States. The overall outlook at the time of our poll
was strong, with high levels of travel optimism, expected
[email protected] @DA_Research
SPONSORED BY
The State of the American Traveler
TM
DESTINATIONS EDITION
Winter 2020 | Volume 35
Destination Analysts’
01
THE STATE OF THE AMERICAN TRAVELER SURVEY is conducted quarterly by
Destination Analysts, Inc., a San Francisco-based tourism industry research company.
The survey is conducted online amongst a nationally representative sample of adult
Americans. From January 7th to the 21st, 2020, surveys were collected from a group
of respondents who were then screened by their leisure travel behavior. Only those
respondents who had traveled at least once in the past 12 months for purely leisure
or personal reasons were interviewed. This travel must have been of at least 50 miles
one-way — the standard distance threshold used in the tourism industry to signify that
a “trip” has been taken. In total, 2,000 leisure travelers completed the survey. With this
sample size, the top line data presented here can be considered to have a reliability of +/-
2.2%. This information is provided “as is” and intended for informational purposes only.
It should not be relied upon for operational, marketing, legal, technical, tax, financial
or other advice. Destination Analysts is not responsible for your use of the information
contained herein (including errors, omissions, inaccuracy or non-timeliness of any kind)
or any assumptions or conclusions you might draw from its use.
American Travel Expectations
Travel as a Budget Priority
How American Leisure Travel
Destination Inspiration
Destination Brand Performance
Destination Expectations, 2020
Methodology
Contents
02
03
04
05
06
07
02
THE NEW YEAR STARTED WITH HIGH LEVELS OF
TRAVELER OPTIMISM, unfortunately the current wave
of concern generated by the coronavirus has put a
damper on these early expectations for the year. While
uncertainty surrounding the virus is clearly impacting
the marketplace, our survey data shows strong
fundamentals will likely be in place when the crisis
abates. When our survey was collected in mid-January,
34.9 percent of American leisure travelers said they
would be taking more trips in the upcoming year, up
from to 33.4 percent one year earlier. This degree of
optimism also extends to future travel spending.
When asked if they expect to spend more in the
upcoming year on leisure travel, 36.5 percent of
American leisure travelers said that they would be
beefing up their expenditures, up from 32.2 percent
one year ago. Further, travelers report a significant
increase in their prioritization of leisure travel in their
budgets. In this most recent survey wave, fully 70.6
percent said leisure travel would at least be “somewhat
important” in how they prioritize their household
budgets. Last year this figure stood at only 59.6
percent. Leisure travel budgets are also expected to
be up 6.6 percent in the next twelve months.
1 Travel Expectations & Travel Spending Expectations
Travel Expectations (Trips) Travel Expectations (Spending)
JAN 2019 58.0%
33.4%
8.7%
57.1%
32.2%
10.7%
expect moreTHE KEY: expect the same expect less
0 030 3010 1020 2040 4050 50 6060
JAN 2018
APR 2018
55.6%
56.4%
37.0%
37.6%
7.4%
6.1%
54.0%
55.3%
36.5%
37.1%
9.4%
7.6%
OCT 2018 54.5%
37.5%
8.0%
53.1%
36.9%
10.1%
JULY 2018 57.4%
32.5%
10.1%
55.6%
31.7%
12.7%
Q: In the next 12 months, do you expect to
travel more or less for leisure than you did in
the most recent 12 month period?
Q: In the next 12 months, do you expect
to spend more or less for leisure travel than
you did in the most recent 12 month period?
JAN 2020 58.3%
34.9%
6.8%
58.3%
34.9%
9.4%
03
2
0% 25% 30%10% 15%5% 20%
EXTREMELY HIGH PRIORITY 14.3%
SOMEWHAT LOW PRIORITY 4.1%
SOMEWHAT HIGH PRIORITY 30.7%
EXTREMELY LOW PRIORITY 0.6%
HIGH PRIORITY 25.6%
LOW PRIORITY 1.4%
NEUTRAL - NEITHER HIGH NOR LOW PRIORITY 23.4%
36
43
.26
13
Travel volume and spending expectations have also rebounded. Once a year, we ask how much priority travelers intend to
place on leisure travel as they allocate their family budgets. At this time last year, 59.6% said that leisure travel would be at
least a “somewhat high priority.” This year, the corresponding figure has jumped sharply dropped to 70.6 percent. The chart
below shows the results from this year.
Q: How much IN TOTAL is the maximum
you will spend on leisure travel (including
airfare, accommodations and all other trip
related spending) during the NEXT TWELVE
(12) MONTHS?
Americans are also expecting to increase
their budgets for this activity this year.
The typical traveler says they will spend
nearly $3,882 this year, up 6.6 percent from
one year ago.
Travel budgets up 6.6% in past year
$3000
$2000
$3500
$2500
$4000
Winter
2017
$3
64
3
Winter
2018
$3
86
5
Summer
2017
$3
54
4
$3
64
9
Summer
2016
$3
38
1
Travel as a Budget Priority Increases
Leisure Travel Spending: Priority in Household Budget
Summer
2018
$3
133
70.6%
Jumps from 55.8% last year
Top 3 Box Score:
Summer
2019
$3
212
Winter
2020
$3
88
2
Winter
2019
$3
64
9
04
3.1
In the past 12 months, the typical American leisure traveler took 4.2 trips (50 miles or more away from their home for
purely leisure reasons.) The following describes how these trips were taken.
How Americans Travel for Leisure
46.4% DAY TRIPS(50 miles+ from home with no overnight stay)
27.1% MULTIGENERATIONAL TRIPS
(3 or more generations traveling together)
74.9% ROAD TRIPS(Primarily by automobile)
55.6% REGIONAL TRIPS
(200 miles from home maximum)
58.4% PLANE TRIPS(Trip included air component)
38.9% INTERNATIONAL TRIPS
(Traveled outside the USA)
13.7% TRAIN TRIPS(Intercity trip)
16.2% CRUISE TRIPS
(One or more night on board)
1.54
2.73
1.370.270.23
1.92
0.68
AV
G #
OF
TR
IPS
(Am
on
g th
ose
takin
g
each
typ
e trip
)
38.7% TRAVELED WITH OWN CHILDREN
32.6% VISITED A THEME OR AMUSEMENT PARK
2.22
35.6% VISITED A NATIONAL PARK OR MONUMENT
Percent of Travelers Taking Each Trip Type
32.0% TRAVELED TO ATTEND A
FESTIVAL OR SPECIAL EVENT
05
3.2 Destination InspirationWord of mouth is still by far the most relied upon way people find travel inspiration. Two thirds of American
travelers say they rely on the in-person opinions of friends and relatives, while nearly one third percent get
this information from social media. Still, differences by age group are significant.
Q: Please think specifically about how you get your inspiration for the
destinations you want to visit domestically. Which would you typically use to
find destination ideas and inspiration? (Select all that apply)
65.5%
19.7%
21.9%
40.3%
9.2%
Opinions of friends and relatives — in-person and/or
through direct contact (email, text, etc)
Offline Media — TV, printed newspapers, magazines, etc.
Opinions of friends and relatives — via social media websites
Movies
0 3010 60 704020 50% of Travelers Using for Destination Inspiration
All Online Media — Travel content found on the Internet (includes
articles, reviews, business websites, blogs, podcasts, video, etc.)
2016 67.1%
2017 66.4%
2018 66.0%
2019 65.5%
2020 65.6%
2016 26.6%
2017 26.9%
2018 30.0%
2019 27.5%
2020 21.9%
13.5% Online video travel content
2016 25.3%
2017 24.4%
2018 21.7%
2019 21.8%
2020 19.7%
Alaska
Albuquerque
Newport Beach, CA
Santa Barbara CountyLouisville
Kansas City
Oklahoma City
DetroitSt. Louis
Hilton Head Island
Outer Banks, NC
Monterey, CA
Salt Lake City
Puerto RicoSeattle
Denver
Napa Valley
Nashville
San Antonio
Portland
Charleston
Austin
St. Petersburg / Clearwater
Chicago
AtlantaDallas
Houston
Baltimore
Memphis
Tucson
Houston
Savannah
Minneapolis - St. Paul
06
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40%
Likely to Visit (Next 3 Years)(% of American Leisure Travelers)
De
stin
ati
on
Rate
d “
Ap
pe
alin
g”
or
“Extr
em
ely
Ap
pe
alin
g”
(%
of
Am
eri
can
Leis
ure
Tra
vele
rs)
*Bubble placement is approximate
Low-tier familiarity20%-0%
Mid-tier familiarity30%-20%
Top-tier familiarity50%-30%
The chart below shows selected domestic destinations ranked by appeal and likelihood of visitation. The size of
individual bubbles represents traveler familiarity with the place as a leisure destination. While the relationship
between a destination’s appeal and traveler likelihood of visiting is obvious, comparing destinations in detail
reveals the complexities of their brand positions.
Destination Brand Performance4
Familiarity, Appeal and Likelihood of Visitation
New Orleans
Niagara Falls
Phoenix
Orlando
Florida Gulf Coast
Las Vegas
Hawaii
New York City
Los Angeles
San FranciscoSan Diego
Washington, DC
Boston
Miami
Anaheim/Disneyland
Philadelphia
0708
6.1 Destination Expectations, 2020 Where are Americans planning to travel in the upcoming year, and how is this changing? For the past 5 years we
have asked what destination types were under consideration and how many trips to each would travelers take.
Cities and metropolitan areas continue top the list as the most visited destination type.
Q: In the next 12 months, HOW MANY TRIPS will you take that will include each of the following types of leisure destinations?
% Planning to visit on
leisure trip (next 12 Months)
Expected # of leisure trips (next 12 Months)
MOUNTAIN DESTINATION/RESORT
SMALL TOWNS, VILLAGES, OR RURAL DESTINATIONS/ ATTRACTIONS
BEACH DESTINATION/RESORT
CITIES OR METROPOLITAN AREAS
0
40
20
60
10
50
30
70
80
0
1.00
0.50
0.25
1.25
0.75
1.75
2.00
2.25
1.50
% Change vs. 5 years ago
-3.7% 2.9%3.3% 10.5%-5.2% 13.8%21.2% 18.9%
62
.0%
17
1.1
1.0
49
.4%
18
66
.1%
1.6
18
30.0
%
16
67.
0%
1.3
17
67.
8%1.
4
19
47.
6%
19
0.9
0.5
57.2
%
18
1.0 31
.8%
17
0.5
56
.4%
19
1.0
28.6
%
18
0.5
74.0
%1.
9
20
49
.1%
20
1.0 31
.0%
19
0.5
30.9
%20
0.5
71.
6%
1.6
16 17
1.0
51.5
%
1.1
51.5
%
16
61.
9%
1.1
20
56
.0%
16
1.0
16 = WINTER 2016 17 = WINTER 2017 18 = WINTER 2018 19 = WINTER 2019
0809
16 = WINTER 2016 17 = WINTER 2017 18 = WINTER 2018 19 = WINTER 2019
6.2 Destination Expectations, 2020 Continued
0
40
20
60
10
50
30
70
80
0
1.00
0.50
0.25
1.25
0.75
1.75
2.00
2.25
1.50
% Change vs. 5 years ago
STATE, COUNTY, OR REGIONAL PARKS OR RECREATION AREAS
31.8
%
38.8
%
31.9
%
33.3
%
-0.7% -11.9%
31.6
%
39.5
%
33.0
%
30.5
%
U.S. NATIONAL PARKS
11.8% 5.4%
37.0
%
39.8
%
39.4
%
35.4
%
THEME OR AMUSEMENT PARKS
-11.2% 16.8%
DESERT DESTINATIONS/RESORTS
33.3% 16.8%
Q: In the next 12 months, HOW MANY TRIPS will you take that will include each of the following types of leisure destinations?
15.3
%
16
0.3
0.6
0.5
0.6
18.6
%
17
0.3
0.8
0.7
0.7
17.6
%
18
0.3
0.6
0.6
0.616
.7%
19
0.3
20.4
%
20
0.3
0.6
0.5
0.7
% Planning to visit on
leisure trip(next 12 Months)
Expected # of leisure trips(next 12 Months)
20
16 17 18 19 20
32.9
%0
.5
16 17 18 19 20
35.4
%0
.6
16 17 18 19 20
31.6
%0
.6
09
Thank You [email protected] SPONSORED BY@DA_Research