Is the Rise of Regional Tourism Here to Stay?
The past two years have taken the travel sector on a wild ride鈥攆rom brutal decimation in 2020 to the renaissance of the road trip in 2021 to the growing, but guarded, optimism of today. Most experts predict that the industry will not fully recover (read: achieve 2019 levels) until 2024. So we鈥檙e exploring where that leaves us in the interim by considering the question: 鈥淚s the rise of regional tourism here to stay?鈥�
The short answer? It鈥檚 complicated. Here鈥檚 why鈥�
Regional tourism isn鈥檛 going away anytime soon鈥攖hanks to the interplay between internal and external factors such as these:
Variant Vacillations
Remember the late spring/early summer of 2021? When vaccination rates were skyrocketing and Covid cases were plummeting? People were in a good headspace and feeling confident about venturing out again for those few glorious months. Then the Delta variant swooped in, with Omicron right on its heels, essentially clipping the wings of many would-be travelers. With ongoing anxiety about the next variant on the horizon, a legion of wannabe wanderlusters will be staying the course with journeys close to home.
Everchanging Restrictions
Keeping up with travel mandates鈥攚hich can and have changed overnight鈥攊s complicated work. Some destinations require vaccine passports and negative test results no more than 72 hours prior to arrival while others have no restrictions at all. Amidst the uncertainty, a fair number of travelers are leery about venturing afar鈥攑referring to keep their trips local, or local-adjacent.
Proof Positive
There is data supporting the continued strength of regional tourism鈥攎inimally for sunny domestic destinations. The U.S. Travel Association created this custom that shows local visitors far and away outpacing other in-state and out-of-state tourists.
All of that is not to say that travel this year will be solely confined to drivable destinations. In fact, international visitation is poised for a comeback, especially when you consider the following:
Pandemic Burnout
After long denying themselves the pleasure of vacationing without limits, some are engaging in revenge travel (we blogged about how to leverage this trend back in May 2021). It鈥檚 an urge so powerful that an overnight stay in a hotel a few towns over simply cannot fulfill it. Revenge travelers have bigger aspirations鈥攁nd bigger budgets鈥攁nd they鈥檙e ready to visit their dream destination which, almost certainly, is not a car ride away.
Open for Business
Tantalizingly tropical destinations such as Mexico and the Caribbean have removed barriers to鈥攁nd brushed off the welcome mat for鈥攊ncoming American travelers. Other far-flung spots to watch are those in Europe, a continent travel agents are reporting is in demand once again. Of course, the inverse is true as well. Julia Simpson, president of the World Travel and Tourism Council () said, 鈥淭he U.S. opening its borders and easing restrictions to major source markets such as the UK and the EU will provide a massive boost to economies on both sides of the Atlantic.鈥�
Flights Taking Flight
A data point not to be missed in STR鈥檚 dated January 29, 2022: TSA security screenings saw an upswing (following a 33-week low) and bookings are reported to continue climbing for the weeks ahead.
It鈥檚 intricacies such as these that make partnering with an agency that maintains an up-to-the-minute, 360-degree view of the industry so important right now. Contact Lynn Kaniper at lkaniper@danacommunications.com or 609.466.9187 ext. 117 today to learn how Dana can help you unravel the complexities, make sense of the ambiguities and craft an unshakable strategy to attract the right travelers, right now鈥攚hether they鈥檙e near or far.