By Russ and Tiña De Maris
Are you planning to travel this summer? That was a question posed to Americans, Europeans, and Asians in 11 countries around the globe. Some 11,000 individuals responded to the extensive survey, and gave some interesting response in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Just how many folks do you think you’ll encounter on the roads if you’ll be out and about with your RV?
Generali Global Assistance (GGA) announced the results of their Future of Travel survey conducted by Ipsos. While the coronavirus has definitely slowed travel, Americans are opting to take domestic road trips over a long weekend to more isolated destinations this summer. Here are some of the details.
73 percent said they’ll vacation this year. But Europeans will outstrip U.S. travelers, with 81% saying they’ll travel. Of folks in the U.S., 47 percent indicated they’d travel domestically, while only 5% said they would travel outside the United States.
Most Americans said they’d prefer a long weekend getaway with a few close traveling companions. 34 percent said they would be taking a long weekend getaway for three to four days days this summer. 35 percent said they would go on a week-long summer trip. Who will they travel with? 24 percent said they’d travel with one other person while, surprisingly, 18 percent said they’d go with four to five people.
How much will travelers spend? $2,450 is the average budget for their main trip this year, close to $650 more than their European counterparts.
How will all of this affect RV parks? Despite the potential for crowds, hotels were still the most popular accommodation for U.S. travelers of those surveyed. 33% looked to stay at a private rental – up 17 percent from last summer. 46 percent of Americans have plans to stay at a hotel. Here’s the detail we’re interested in: 15 percent said they’ll be going camping.
How about getting there? 72 percent, the overwhelming majority of American travelers surveyed, said their car will be their travel mode. Only 23 percent of Americans plan on flying for their vacation.
##RVT959b
In Michigan you can’t get in our own state’s campgrounds because every other states all folded here. We have counted so many different plates. That’s why we gave it up and made our 10 acres our own camping area and invite others in the same situation.
I disagree. I’ve camped at a different MI state park each week (except one week) since they reopened June 22. Not a problem.
We recently sold our 31′ class C Phoenix Cruiser. Upon reading not only this wonderful newsletter, but others also, we’re afraid to purchase something a bit smaller. Reading that many RV parks are requiring far out reservations to stay, we’re fearing that we would be stuck somewhere with no place to go. We are semiretired, and would like to travel, however, we are wondering if we should just not buy and stay in motels (which I’m deadly afraid of with everything that’s going on now a days.)
We moved to SE Iowa from Arkansas, and really miss all our friends that camp mostly year around. To me, Iowa sucks for RVers. We could not find any local clubs to join, only one that’s 70 miles away Illinois, nothing that’s close.
Sorry to hear that you sold and are now not sure if you should purchase due to all that is going on. I have been working from home since March so the RV has become a way to get away from home and have a change of scenery. We have camped 4 times since March and on one trip about 9 days in Myrtle Beach. We know the parks in SC well so we are as selective as we can be when picking our site and that takes a lot these days with so many rvr’s out there now but we know the ones where we can isolate and keep to ourselves which is very hard for me to do, because I love meeting and getting to know people. We haven’t encountered any situation in out travels this year where we felt we were in danger or in an unhealthy situation. I hope that you will decide to get back out on the road in the near future and I agree with you, I would dread the thought of staying in a motel these days, but then again my RV is my second home and I am much more comfortable even in normal times RVing.
Best Regards!
I agree Barry. Get away from the media telling you everything you don’t really need in your life. Buy the RV of your choosing and hit the road – oh – only after you turn off (or disconnect completely) the Cable channels, and sparingly consult the hand held.
Feel the ocean breeze, listen for the birds and the squirrels, look for outstanding vistas, enjoy a lightning storm fireworks in the distant.
You only get one crack at this life and it gets a whole lot better in an RV where YOU choose the place YOU can most enjoy it.
There are no second chances so get on with it and HAPPY TRAILS.
Alvin, your best advice here was to turn off the cable channels. Yup, without the nonstop 24/7 barrage of needless virus scare, you soon realize that a sense or normalcy can again surround you, and you can enjoy hitting the road and doing some old fashioned camping. Your sense of ‘common sense’ will overcome you, and life is still good.