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The majority of Americans say their holiday plans won’t be business as usual in 2020.
The ongoing novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is complicating plans for family gatherings and travel in the U.S. this winter. Sixty percent of respondents to Travelocity’s 2020 Holiday Outlook survey claim they won’t be traveling to see family and friends on Thanksgiving, Christmas and other holidays.
Of that group, 1 in 3 say they won’t be celebrating at all this year.
The survey, which was conducted in September, found, however, that not everyone is staying put at home however amid the health crisis. One in four people surveyed said they have a personal vacation planned later this year, while 45 percent of families with kids under 18 said they’ll be taking a trip before 2021 too.
“It’s going to be a nontraditional holiday season this year, so families are gearing up to make the most of it by planning a holiday away from home and using their vacation days to travel,” Katie Junod, general manager at Travelocity, said in a press release.
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The survey found that most who are traveling for the holidays this year aren’t waiting until the last minute. Nearly two-thirds of those surveyed said they’ve already booked their transportation and lodging for Thanksgiving and/or December holidays.
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Additionally, Travelocity indicated that a whopping 80 percent said they will be taking road trips as their preferred form of travel this season, while 1 in 5 will fly.
“Two-thirds of respondents said they’ve been able to travel to see friends and family since COVID-19 started, and almost half say they’re feeling happy and calm about the upcoming holiday season,” Junod said.
To see the full survey results, visit travelocity.com.
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