Leisure travel trends are changing rapidly.

Leading data-driven digital marketing agency TravelBoom has released its 2022 Leisure Travel Trends Research Report, an extensive survey of more than 2,000 travelers this year. By comparing their responses to 90,000 participants in previous surveys, the company has come up with an overview of how the sector is changing.

The agency’s last major leisure travel survey was conducted in 2015. Currently, some of the most influential factors driving some dramatic changes in consumer mindsets, preferences and behavior are the rising cost of travel, the overall economy, ongoing Covid-19 threats and technological tools.

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“Leisure travel continues to be one of the most impacted industries in the post-pandemic era, and consumers are increasingly wary of inflation, COVID-19 concerns and high expectations for destinations and hospitality,” said Travel Boom COO. “Our annual study of leisure travel trends allows us to better understand consumer mindsets and shopping journeys so we can adapt our marketing strategies for greater impact.”

Key Insights:

– High costs are affecting vacation plans.

More than one-third of respondents said they may have to cancel existing vacation plans due to budget concerns. 56 percent said higher gas prices would somewhat or strongly affect their travel decisions. The top pain points that keep respondents from booking travel are budget issues (53 percent), transportation costs (48 percent), and accommodation costs (45 percent).

— Travelers are doing more online research than ever before.

Travelers are delving deeper online and exploring their options. The average traveler visits 5.5 websites during their vacation planning and booking process, which typically includes a search engine, meta engine, OTA, review site, and hotel website.

– Factors influencing travel decisions are changing.

In the year In 2022, 46.3 percent of respondents cited price as a primary consideration when planning a vacation, compared to 37.9 percent in 2019. Along with the cost of their stay, transportation costs, amenities and loyalty programs are some of the factors that influence them. Choice of travelers.

— Covid-19 continues to impact travel.

The survey found that 55 percent of people still consider the risks of Covid-19 before booking their trip. Only 13.5 percent of U.S. leisure travelers said the pandemic still had a major impact on travel. However, 45 percent of Canadian travelers responded similarly, reflecting the continued impact of COVID-19 on international travel.

– Reviews have never been more important in travelers’ decision making process.

The survey found that 82 percent of travelers would not book a stay at a property without first consulting consumer reviews. “Reviews and social proof are important points for vacation bookings,” the report says. In fact, reviews are an ongoing part of the buying process, with nearly 40 percent of travel shoppers citing reviews in every vacation plan.

You can download a copy of TravelBoom’s full 2022 Leisure Travel Trends Study here.

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