June 11 -The U.S. May travel data signaled an exciting travel comeback this summer. Travel companies need to be prepared.

 

The number of Americans who traveled in May surpassed those who traveled in February 2020, before the pandemic hit the country. This is an exciting milestone for the U.S. travel industry. We seem to be on track to have one of the strongest summer travel seasons on record in the U.S.

 

 

Skift Research’s May Travel Tracker survey report highlights some of the key trends of May travel that will likely continue as we move to the summer vacation season. Among them, domestic travel will continue to be one main theme. International travel only accounted for 2 percent of all trips in May. With the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) easing travel recommendations for more than 110 countries and territories, there could be a boost in international travel this summer. However, infection rates are rising in many Asian countries, and even in the U.K. in the last couple of weeks. Lifting travel restrictions alone might not be enough for a significant outbound travel comeback.

 

 

Skift Research introduced a monthly U.S. travel tracking survey in January 2020 to examine the travel penetration rates and detailed travel behavior of the U.S. population. In addition to the factual travel occurrences, Skift also asked respondents their perceptions on the macro-level economic condition as well their personal financial and travel outlook. Skift is switching the survey to every other month in 2021. As we move through different phases of Covid-19, Skift’s tracking survey captures the fluctuations of consumer travel behavior and intent in real time.

 

In Skift’s newly released U.S. Travel Tracker: May 2021 report, the company highlights new and ongoing trends in travel incidences, consumer sentiments and future travel intents in the pandemic world, distilled from Skift’a May Travel Tracker survey.

 

 

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