The second wave of the War Impact Survey produced by the Travel Industry Association of America (TIA) shows that war came and…
The second wave of the War Impact Survey produced by the Travel Industry Association of America (TIA) shows that war came and went without devastating the travel and tourism industry. The survey did show that certain sectors such as airlines and outbound travel continue to be severely affected but overall travel intentions remained stable. Currently, 82 percent of Americans plan to take at least one trip this spring or summer.
What became clear in the second wave of the survey is that the sluggish economy continues to have a greater effect on the travel industry than world events. Forty-five percent of Americans who intend to travel this spring or summer have still not made plans or booked their trips, a percentage unchanged from the first wave of the survey conducted March 20-25.
It would appear that the still soft economy and low consumer confidence continue to be the catalyst for travelers delaying their vacation planning, remarked William S. Norman, president and CEO of the Travel Industry Association of America. It may well be that the next wave of the survey shows significant changes in booking patterns, as lower gas prices and the proximity of the summer season serve as a stimulant for travelers to make their plans.
The second wave of the survey once again confirmed recent leisure travel trends with Americans saying they are more interested in travel by auto, RV or motorcoach, staying within the U.S., visiting small towns or rural areas and taking short getaways (less than 3 nights). As the war drew to a close, Americans` interest in visiting national monuments and places with large crowds increased significantly over the last survey.
The end of the war also appears to be having a mildly positive effect on business travel, with signs that the industry may be on a tentative road to recovery. TIA`s survey showed that of those who travel for business, 79 percent said they plan to travel the same amount or more this spring or summer, up from 75 percent just three weeks ago. In addition, only about one-quarter (26%) of business travelers said their employers had reduced their travel budgets, down from one-third (33%) who reported leaner budgets in the first wave of the survey.
Of those business and leisure travelers who are traveling less or not at all this spring or summer, concerns about SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) appear to be very low. In fact, only 7 percent of both business and leisure travelers report that SARS is the reason they are traveling less or not at all. This is most likely attributable to the fact that the majority of Americans` business and leisure travel takes place within the U.S.
The second wave of TIA`s War Impact Survey was conducted April 10-15 using web-based surveys among 1,200 online Americans. It was conducted by the Travel Industry Association of America and a consortium of TIA member organizations, including NYC & Company, Kissimmee-St. Cloud Convention & Visitors Bureau, Orlando/Orange County Convention & Visitors Bureau, Visit Florida, Choice Hotels International, Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority and the Canadian Tourism Commission. Two additional waves will be conducted over the course of the next month.
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
