Insights into future travel showing renewed optimism and resolve for human connection

For generations, travel has inspired storytelling in books and songs and fuelled the growth of cultures and civilizations. But over the last year, the world went on a different kind of journey, swapping passports for puzzles and beaches for binge-watching. Now, a new survey from IHG Hotels & Resorts reveals how much people are longing for human connection, to be with their loved ones, and to make new memories.

Close to 60 percent of survey respondents said they canceled up to four trips (leisure and business) last year. More than half the travellers surveyed said they have now rebooked canceled trips or plan to rebook them, with family vacations and visiting loved ones topping travel wish lists for 2021. And while the pandemic isn’t over, the roll-out of vaccines is igniting hope and optimism, as respondents across all age groups, 18 to 55+, say spending time with family and friends is a primary motivator for travel this year.

When the World Opens…

• One in five respondents said they plan to make up for the lack of travel in 2020 by going on more trips in 2021.
• One in five people overall said they hope to travel to a place on their bucket list in 2021, with that being true for one in three travellers aged 18 to 24.
• Speaking of younger travellers, this age group was five times more likely to say volunteering for a community in need was a primary motivator for travel.
• One in three surveyed said going to restaurants and trying new foods has the most positive impact on their vacations.
• Over a third of all those surveyed, including 50 percent of those 55 and older, said they plan to hold off traveling until the COVID-19 vaccine is more widely available.

“It’s often said that travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer, and our survey results prove that people are hungry for those rich experiences again. But the world has changed, and travel decisions must be made more thoughtfully. As we look ahead, we’ve all had a lot of time to think about what travel means to us, what trips are most important, and how we want to reconnect with loved ones,” says Claire Bennett, Chief Customer Officer, IHG Hotels & Resorts. “So, whether it’s that longed-for family beach vacation, a weekend getaway with friends, your first in-person business meeting, or a special anniversary trip – our family of 16 brands is ready to help open up the world when the time is right and welcome travellers back with confidence, as we embark on the next chapter of travel.”

Taking Care of Business

• One in three workers globally, and 40 percent in the U.S., stated the lack of business travel in 2020 demotivated them.
• 40 percent of those who travel for business said they miss face-to-face meetings.
• More than half of respondents said business travel allows them to “create meaningful relationships with colleagues, customers, and/or clients.”
• Nearly 45 percent shared that business travel improves their working mood and makes them more motivated.

That Hotel Life

• While on vacation, the majority of Americans said traveling with loved ones, creating new memories, and having quality time with others had the most positive impact on their mood, while most Australians said it was sightseeing and for U.K. travellers, it was chasing sunshine.
• When it comes to what respondents traveling for work miss the most, one in three said it was “sleeping in a comfy hotel bed” and one in four said “room service.”
• Cabin fever kills the romance as one in four of respondents age 45+ said they look forward to intimacy while on vacation.