• Our 2021 Travel Survey Results

Our clients reveal their travel insights for 2021 and beyond…

2020 was a strange year and for the majority, travel was completely taken away from us. So after a year of sitting within the same four walls, where is everyone dreaming of traveling to? When is everyone planning to travel? And most importantly, what is the inspiration for their travel going forward? We asked our clients – over 32,000 of them – to complete a short survey about their desired travel plans for 2021 and beyond. The results are incredibly positive and for most people, travel is now, more than ever, on the forefront of people’s minds.

Swing in Bali 1

When are you planning to travel next?

Although there are still ongoing restrictions in many countries, the results of this question were very promising. The highest percentage of people responded that they were planning to travel during summer this year, with the second most popular planning to travel in Autumn this year. As vaccinations continue to roll out and borders open, we hope that this will be the case. Interesting, only a handful of people responded that they are not planning to travel, which shows that although travel may feel like a distant memory, it is one that people have not forgotten about.

  • 29% responded July to September 2021
  • 17% responded October to December 2021
  • 14% responded April to June 2021
  • 14% responded July to September 2022
  • 11% responded April to June 2022
  • 9% responded January to March 2022
  • 6% responded that they are not planning to travel
Cinque Terre 1

What are the top three destinations you want to visit?

As you can see, the top three destinations that people want to visit are Italy, Greece and Croatia – all countries within Europe. These countries offer warm weather, beautiful coastlines and great food and wine. Other European countries like Portugal, Spain and Iceland also feature in the top 10 most popular destinations so it’s safe to say that Europe will be a travel trend for 2021 and beyond. Interestingly, the country that came last in popularity is the UAE.

  1. Italy
  2. Greece
  3. Croatia
  4. South Africa
  5. Australia
  6. Portugal
  7. New Zealand
  8. Spain
  9. Maldives
  10. Iceland

Lowest: UAE

Walking in Dolomites 1

What type of trips are you interested in?

As many people took on fitness challenges and regimes during the 2020 lockdowns, it’s no surprise that active trips were the most popular. Ocean line cruises came in last, with the fewest number of people interested in them. As we have been constantly reminded of keeping ‘socially distant’, travel trends going forward are focused on seclusion and space. With the large number of passengers on board ocean cruises, it is understandable they came in last. In comparison, small ship cruises came third in the results, proving that while cruises are still desirable, it is the size that plays a big part.

  1. Active Trip
  2. Beach getaway
  3. Small Ship Cruise
  4. Multi-Centre Holiday
  5. River Cruise
  6. City break
  7. Small group tour
  8. Self-drive / Road trip
  9. Rail journey
  10. Safari

Lowest: Ocean cruises

Petra at night 1 1

What do you like to experience when abroad? (Choose max 3)

Top of the list for this question is tours covering culture and history. In this category, experiences could include visiting ancient ruins in Italy, or religious sites in Jordan, among many others. Food and wine experiences are still rated very highly which is particularly positive for the hospitality sector. Many restaurants, cafes and local wineries have been affected by the lack of tourism in 2020 so it’s great to confirm the demand is still there.

  1. Tours to cultural and historic sites
  2. Food and wine experiences
  3. Immersive experiences interacting with locals
  4. Private tours to off the beaten track destinations
  5. Walking and hiking trips

Lowest: Golf

 

Maldives couple 1 1

What will inspire you to book your next trip? (Choose max 3)

Almost 80% of people want to travel to enjoy the freedom of travel again, and that doesn’t surprise us. So many people are passionate about traveling. With the majority of the world being confined to our own homes during 2020, we understand the need for freedom to be celebrated. Bucket list destinations are also very popular. Along with destinations, it is likely your bucket list will also be made up of experiences: swim with whale sharks, drink champagne in Champagne, watch the Northern Lights dance through the sky. The list goes on.

  • 79% selected To enjoy the freedom of travel again
  • 46% selected Take a postponed trip
  • 45% selected Tick off a bucket list destination
  • 27% selected To relax
  • 19% selected Visit family or friends
  • 13% selected Pursue a particular activity or interest
  • 11% selected Celebrate a special occasion or event