Americans will be hitting the road instead of flying away for their summer vacations, according to a new survey released by Expedia.
In a poll of more than 1,000 adults, 85% of respondents said they were likely to take a road trip this summer. Expedia determined interest in domestic summer vacations was up 10% from last year and accounted for nearly 85% of the hotel searches on its website.
Road trips were also cited for safety reasons, with 72% of respondents stating it felt like a safer alternative to flying and 68% adding they wanted to avoid crowds. Budget concerns also factored in, with 60% admitting a road trip was a less expensive vacation strategy.
The sudden spikes around the country in confirmed cases of COVID-19 seems to be playing a role in hotel bookings: Expedia reported 97% of stays booked in June were refundable rates, a nearly 20% increase from last year.
“People miss travel, they have vacation days to use and they also want to stay safe,” Nisreene Atassi, senior director of public relations and social for Expedia, said in a statement. “Given how quickly the advice and restrictions are changing, one of our main priorities at Expedia is making sure our customers have the information they need to navigate this summer travel season.”
