THOUGH TRAVELER CONCERN FOR SAFETY IS GROWING BROADLY
KANSAS CITY, MO (May 10, 2022) – According to a new study by MMGY Travel Intelligence, 61% of American travelers with plans to visit Europe this year intend to follow through despite the war in Ukraine. Last week, MMGY Global’s research and insights brand surveyed more than 400 leisure travelers who had planned or were considering a trip to Europe this year. Capturing American sentiment on the evolving conflict and how it may impact European visitation and perceived travel safety worldwide, this study is the company’s second survey of American travelers on the topic since March. Below are other key findings.
While a majority of those with plans to visit Europe intend to stay the course, 1 in 3 say the war will affect which countries they visit.
23% of those with plans intend to wait and see how the situation evolves before finalizing their plans, whereas 10% are likely to delay/reschedule and 7% are likely to cancel.
Since the first wave of the study, traveler concerns about the conflict spreading to other parts of Europe have declined (62% to 54%), while concerns about the rising cost of travel have increased (32% to 38%).
Of all respondents, 4 out of 10 (37%) attribute the rising cost of domestic air travel to the war in Ukraine.
The war has also increased Americans’ concerns about travel safety in Europe (58% either agree or strongly agree). For many, it is also increasing their travel safety concerns in regards to travel to international destinations other than Europe (45%) and even travel within the U.S. (27%).
Americans are more likely to consider Eastern European countries less safe than countries in Western Europe. Among those who have a trip planned, Poland, Germany and Austria are the countries outside of Ukraine and Russia perceived to be less safe as a result of the war.
Chris Davidson, EVP of MMGY Travel Intelligence, offered his insights on the findings as Europe’s tourism industry continues its gradual recovery from COVID-19 amid the ongoing conflict.
“While the war in Ukraine is clearly a top-of-mind concern for many travelers, it does not appear that it will ultimately deter a majority of Americans from visiting Europe,” Davidson said. “This is especially true of travel to Western European destinations that are perceived to be a bit more geographically removed from the conflict.”
For information and other travel industry research, visit MMGY Travel Intelligence online at mmgyintel.com.
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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 us at 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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