Americans’ late summer travel demand still strong
Despite declining inflation, costs are still a factor for Americans planning travel.
The latest Longwoods International tracking study of American travelers found 57% report that inflation is still impacting their decision to travel in the next six months.
The percentage of travelers who say that inflation will greatly impact their travel decisions in the next six months jumped from 24% in July to 30% in August.
Still, demand for travel through the end of summer and beyond remains at near record post-pandemic levels, the study found.
It says 91% of American travelers have plans to go somewhere in the next six months.
Travelers concerned about costs are simply reallocating their spend to ensure the trip happens within their budget rather than cancelling outright.
Some respondents also had a negative impact on customer service standards.
It found 22% of American travelers report receiving a lower level of service on their most recent trip in the past three months than in 2019.
The study also looked at current use of Chat GTP and similar AI apps to plan travel.
It found 19% of travelers used AI travel planning tools in the last six months, which is up from 14% in February.
Over one-third of travelers say it’s likely they will use AI tools to plan their next trip.
With a growing number of travel brands incorporating AI tech into their platforms, many travelers may not be aware that they are utilizing AI tech, Longwoods International says.
The study also asked Americans about the impact of extreme weather on their travel plans.
It says 39% of American travelers have changed travel plans over the last year due to extreme weather events.
This includes extreme heat, drought, flooding and hurricanes.
About 8% canceled trips while 30% postponed or altered their itinerary.
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Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
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