Tripadvisor's Spring Travel Index Shows Americans are Spending Big, Prioritizing R&R This Season

Rhea-AI Summary

Tripadvisor's Spring Travel Index highlights a resurgence in U.S. travel as over 53% of Americans plan to travel this spring, up from 35% last winter. Notably, travelers are expected to spend 87% more per booking compared to last year. Popular destinations include Orlando and Cancun, with 77% of travelers opting for domestic trips and 23% eyeing international travel. Rest and relaxation top the reasons for travel, with cultural and adventure activities emerging as the most sought-after experiences.

Positive

• 53% of Americans planning spring travel, a significant increase from 35% last winter.
• Travelers expect to spend 87% more per booking compared to last year.
• Top domestic destination is Orlando, Florida; top international destination is Cancun, Mexico.
• Strong interest in cultural and adventure activities, indicating a potential revenue boost.

Negative

• None.

NEEDHAM, Mass., March 9, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- After snowstorms and freezing temperatures have pummeled cities across the United States this winter, the long-awaited arrival of spring is nearly within reach. Tripadvisor today released its seasonal Spring Travel Index, using a combination of search and sentiment data to reveal what - and where - is hot this spring. After a slower winter with new variants curbing many vacation plans, travel is in full bloom this spring.

Despite the rising cost of fuel and inflation overall, people aren't willing to let this hamper their spring travel plans. In fact, over half of Americans (53%) are planning on traveling this spring (March 1 - May 31, 2022), with over a third (39%) planning on taking two or more trips. This is up significantly from the just over a third (35%) of Americans who reported traveling this winter (December 1, 2021 - February 28, 2022).

On top of more travelers, travelers are also planning to splash more cash. Of Americans who traveled last spring and plan to do so again, over half (51%) plan to spend more than they did in 2021, including nearly a quarter (23%) planning to spend "significantly more." In fact, Tripadvisor site data shows that the average spend per booking for U.S. travelers this spring is up a massive 87% year-over-year (YOY).

Tripadvisor search data shows that the most popular travel dates for Americans this spring are March 31, March 11, and March 12, respectively, meaning busier skies and roads are right around the corner!

Where are they headed?
Although domestic travel is still most common for Americans, as 77% say they'll travel within the U.S. between March and May this year, interest in travel internationally is bouncing back in a big way. Nearly a quarter of Americans (23%) plan to travel internationally this spring. In fact, seven of the top 10 fastest growing destinations this spring (based on places with the greatest YOY growth) are outside the U.S. It's the iconic European cities Paris, London and Rome that make up the top three trending international destinations for travel this spring.

In the U.S., destinations in Hawaii are seeing the greatest growth YOY, likely a result of the state recently relaxing its travel restrictions. As for what destination may welcome the most visitors overall, it's Orlando, Florida as the most popular destination for U.S. travelers this spring. Orlando is a perennial popular spring travel destination for families on vacation. Meanwhile our southern neighbor, Cancun, Mexico is the most popular international destination Americans are planning to visit this spring.

10 Most Popular Spring Travel Destinations	10 Fastest Growing Spring Travel Destinations (based on YOY growth)
1.  Orlando, Florida	1.  Honolulu, Hawaii
2.  Las Vegas, Nevada	2.  Paris, France
3.  Cancun, Mexico	3.  Lahaina, Hawaii
4.  Key West, Florida	4.  London, United Kingdom
5.  Miami Beach, Florida	5.  Rome, Italy
6.  New York City, New York	6.  Wailea, Hawaii
7.  Fort Lauderdale, Florida	7.  Barcelona, Spain
8.  Nashville, Tennessee	8.  Lisbon, Portugal
9.  Cabo San Lucas, Mexico	9.  Amsterdam, The Netherlands
10. Honolulu, Hawaii	10. Venice, Italy

 

Top spring travel activities
Unsurprisingly, given the toll of the pandemic on us over the past two years, Americans cited rest and relaxation as the most popular purpose for their trips this spring (51%). This is followed closely by escaping day to day life (49%) and visiting family and friends (44%).

Nearly half (45%) of Americans said that they're looking to experience something new and unique on their next trip. The top five trending experiences categories Americans are booking for spring 2022 include a mix of cultural activities and adventure: 4WD, ATV & Off-Road Tours, Day Trips, Cultural Tours, Snorkeling and Wine Tasting & Winery Tours.

Highly rated experiences in these categories available to book on Tripadvisor this spring include*:

• Half-Day Mojave Desert ATV Tour from Las Vegas - top rated 4WD, ATV & Off-Road Tour
• Miami to Key West Day Trip with Optional Activities - top rated Day Trip
• Charleston's Old South Carriage Historic Horse & Carriage Tour - top rated Cultural Tour
• Turtle Canyon Catamaran Snorkel Cruise from Waikiki - top rated Snorkeling
• 5 Hour Traverse City Wine Tour: 4 Wineries on Old Mission Peninsula - top rated Wine Tasting & Winery Tour

The top three searched and booked amenities in accommodations this spring include pool, bar/lounge, and restaurant. Meanwhile, road trips remain the most popular trip type this spring (44%), followed by beach trips (39%), and shopping trips (30%).

NOTES TO EDITOR

The data cited in this release was gathered and analyzed from two key sources:

• A Tripadvisor Consumer Sentiment Survey, based on data drawn from an online survey of over 5,000 consumers, in partnership with Qualtrics, conducted between February 22, 2022 through February 28, 2022 across six countries - U.S., UK, Australia, Italy, Singapore and Japan.
• Site behavioral data sourced from first party traffic data on the Tripadvisor platform, gathered during the week commencing February 21, 2022 for searches made by US travelers from January 1, 2022 through February 22, 2022 for travel between March 1, 2022 through May 31, 2022.

*Experiences based on highly-rated products within the top trending categories Americans are booking for spring 2022.

About Tripadvisor
Tripadvisor, the world's largest travel guidance platform*, helps hundreds of millions of people each month** become better travelers, from planning to booking to taking a trip. Travelers across the globe use the Tripadvisor site and app to discover where to stay, what to do and where to eat based on guidance from those who have been there before. With more than 1 billion reviews and opinions of nearly 8 million businesses, travelers turn to Tripadvisor to find deals on accommodations, book experiences, reserve tables at delicious restaurants and discover great places nearby. As a travel guidance company available in 43 markets and 22 languages, Tripadvisor makes planning easy no matter the trip type.

The subsidiaries of Tripadvisor, Inc. (NASDAQ:TRIP), own and operate a portfolio of travel media brands and businesses, operating under various websites and apps, including the following websites:

www.bokun.io, www.cruisecritic.com, www.flipkey.com, www.thefork.com, www.helloreco.com, www.holidaylettings.co.uk, www.housetrip.com, www.jetsetter.com, www.niumba.com, www.seatguru.com, www.singleplatform.com, www.vacationhomerentals.com, and www.viator.com.

* Source: SimilarWeb, unique users de-duplicated monthly, January 2022
** Source: Tripadvisor internal log files

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SOURCE Tripadvisor

FAQ

What does Tripadvisor's Spring Travel Index reveal about American travel plans for spring 2022?

The index shows that over 53% of Americans plan to travel this spring, a notable rise from 35% last winter, with an increase in travel spending.

What are the most popular spring travel destinations according to Tripadvisor?

The most popular destinations are Orlando, Florida for domestic travel and Cancun, Mexico for international travel.

How much are travelers expected to spend more on travel this spring according to Tripadvisor?

Travelers are expected to spend 87% more per booking this spring compared to last year.

What are the main reasons Americans are traveling this spring?

The primary reasons include rest and relaxation (51%), escaping daily life (49%), and visiting family and friends (44%).

How many Americans are planning to travel internationally this spring?

Approximately 23% of Americans are planning to travel internationally this spring.