The British React With Enthusiasm – More Than Half Surveyed Say They Are More Likely to Book a Trip to the U.S.
KANSAS CITY, MO (June 13, 2022) – The travel industry received some long-awaited news last week when the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced it was lifting its requirement for travelers to test negative for COVID-19 before entering the country. On the heels of this news MMGY Travel Intelligence, a trusted source for travel and tourism data, surveyed 774 Americans and 436 Britons on June 12, 2022. The following are highlights of these findings.
American Travelers
- 36% of Americans are more likely to travel outside the U.S. within the next six months because the testing requirement has been lifted.
- 44% of Americans said the news does not impact their intent to travel internationally at all.
- 20% of those surveyed said they are less likely to travel internationally in the next six months without the testing requirement in place.
British Travelers
- 52% of British respondents said they are more likely to book a trip to the U.S. in the next six months because the COVID-19 testing requirement has been removed.
- 37% said the news affects the likelihood of them booking a trip to the U.S.
- Only 11% said the end of the testing requirement would make them less likely to book a trip to the U.S.
“The travel industry has been lobbying for this restriction to be lifted for months because the scientific data did not support a need for it,” said MMGY Global CEO Clayton Reid. “This is now the removal of an important barrier for continuing international travel recovery, both inbound and outbound U.S. However, our industry still needs to monitor how inflation and concerns around safety and social unrest are impacting travelers’ decisions. In our data, these are very real challenges.”
The survey also questioned respondents about non-COVID related concerns. Three in 5 Americans (59%) said the cost of international airfare and lodging will impact their decision to travel, and 47% said concerns about their personal safety related to violence and unrest will impact their decision to travel internationally. British respondents were a bit less concerned about costs and safety when traveling to the U.S., but the numbers should still be of concern to travel and tourism brands. Forty-nine percent said the cost of airfare and lodging will impact their decision to travel to America, and 39% said their personal safety concerns will impact their decisions.
In general, Americans’ intentions to travel have remained fairly consistent over the last year, though international travel recovery has lagged behind domestic travel. MMGY Travel Intelligence’s 2022 Portrait of American Travelers® “Summer Edition” found that 65% of U.S. travelers intend to take a leisure trip in the next six months.
For more travel and tourism research from MMGY Travel Intelligence, visit mmgyintel.com.
About MMGY Travel Intelligence
MMGY Travel Intelligence is MMGY Global’s industry research and insights brand, offering proprietary data and research including MMGY Global’s Portrait of American Travelers® as well as DK Shifflet’s TRAVEL PERFORMANCE/MonitorSM, which is comprised of the largest continuous consumer travel database in the industry. The organization’s services are designed to power travel industry decision-makers through consumer insights, travel performance data, and audience modeling and segmentation. To learn more about the extensive collection of research, analytics and strategy services, visit mmgyintel.com or email research@mmgyglobal.com.
About MMGY Global
MMGY Global is the world’s leading integrated marketing firm specializing in the travel, hospitality and entertainment industries. With eight operating brands across the world, the award-winning organization maintains a global communications practice in all marketing channels, serving many of the world’s premier travel and tourism brands. As a company dedicated to the travel industry, MMGY Global strives to create a connected, inclusive and peaceful world by promoting travel as a cultural bridge of understanding. For more information, visit mmgyglobal.com.
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