Americans’ summer travel habits are undergoing a significant transformation, with a noticeable shift towards shorter, more frequent trips.
Recent findings highlight that 72% of Americans are keen on making their summer outings more memorable.
A ResortPass survey of 2,094 US adults aged 18 and older reveals that 67% of Americans find shorter trips more relaxing than fewer, longer vacations.
On average, Americans took 1.6 vacations last summer, but ideally, they would like to take an average of 2.5 summer vacations.
Despite the desire for more travel, 70% of employed Americans typically spend their free time at home when they have no travel plans during the summer.
Interestingly, only 36% of employed Americans used all their time off work last year, suggesting a potential for increased travel if time off were better utilized.
Moreover, 83% of Americans believe they can make better use of hotel amenities when vacationing during off-peak times.
The survey also highlights that a significant portion of Americans feel rejuvenated after just one day off work. This has led to a trend of local getaways, with Americans being nearly three times more likely to travel within 100 miles than to international destinations this summer (49% vs. 18%).
As the summer season winds down, 72% of Americans often wish they had traveled more during the season.
Additionally, 51% of Americans believe food tastes better by the pool, with Gen Z (ages 18-27) and Millennials (ages 28-43) particularly agreeing with this sentiment.
Ice cream tops the list of favorite poolside snacks (26%), followed by burgers (23%), pizza (19%), and chips and guacamole (18%). Salads, however, were less popular, garnering only 7% of the vote.
This shift in travel preferences underscores a broader trend towards shorter, more frequent getaways that offer relaxation and rejuvenation without the need for extended time off work. As Americans continue to embrace these new travel habits, local destinations within a short drive are likely to see a surge in popularity.
