VisitorsCoverage, a global travel insurance marketplace serving over 175 countries worldwide, released a survey of emerging U.S. travel trends for 2022.

Staying safe and closer to home

70% of respondents expect to travel more in 2022, but, in light of the pandemic, will stay closer to home. 45% rated road trips as the most appealing, followed by domestic flights (22%). Only 16% will travel internationally in 2022.

'Hawaii' and 'Canada' tied as the year's most sought-after destinations.

The survey suggests a rise in travel insurance purchases:

• 64% believe travel insurance that covers them in case of cancellations and trip emergencies would make them more likely to travel
• 42% said they were 'likely' or 'very likely' to purchase travel insurance

Recently, VisitorsCoverage has experienced a significant increase in site traffic and policy purchases.

Flexibility is the key

Most respondents said they would feel better prepared to travel in 2022 with 'more flexible cancelation options':

• 55% rated cancellation flexibility as the benefit that offered the greatest sense of security
• Of those who rated cancellation flexibility as their top concern, 41% anticipated booking more flights in 2022
• 29% plan to spend on 'flight considerations' like cancellation insurance

In the last three months, 99% of VisitorsCoverage customers who purchased trip insurance plans have included a Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) benefit.

"It's not surprising that the top trend revealed by the survey is the growing need for flexibility," said Rajeev Shrivastava, CEO of VisitorsCoverage. "Booking travel plans as Omicron cases persist creates understandable anxiety for travelers. They're concerned they'll need to cancel their plans, worried they'll contract COVID while traveling, or wondering what to do if their destination changes their travel restrictions. Trip insurance with CFAR offsets these anxieties."

About the survey methodology:

The survey was conducted online within the United States by SurveyMonkey on behalf of VisitorsCoverage in November 2021.