With coronavirus vaccines starting to trickle their way into the arms of people, travelers are ready to embark on international trips despite a number of countries having moratoriums and restrictions on non-essential travel.
According to a report published Thursday by Trip Advisor, travelers across the world say they’re preparing to travel internationally in the second half of 2021, especially if they're able to secure a coronavirus vaccine.
In a survey of travelers in six countries, including the US, 11% have said they have already booked an international trip in 2021. In the US, that number is even higher at 14%. All told, 47% of travelers said they’re planning to travel internationally in 2021.
The survey also found most travelers are more eager to trek internationally once vaccinated. Seventy-seven percent of those surveyed said they would be more likely to travel internationally after getting vaccinated. Eighty-six percent of respondents say they would be more likely to travel domestically once vaccinated.
Globally, 26% said they would only travel to destinations that required visitors to be vaccinated before travel.
"Despite the fact that many countries around the world are still grappling with high infection rates of COVID-19, many travelers are feeling optimistic that they will be able to vacation abroad this year, particularly coinciding with the roll-out of a vaccine. Consumer appetite for travel is as strong as it has been since the start of the pandemic and, as our data shows, many people are already actively planning their next big trip - even for trips more than four months out," said Shibani Walia, senior research analyst for Tripadvisor. "For destinations, brands and tourism operators, it is so important that they act now to attract this early booking demand, or else they risk missing out to the competition."
