Life after coronavirus: Ready to travel as soon as it's safe? So is everyone else
Everyone has a touch of cabin fever after the worldwide coronavirus lockdowns. So it's no surprise that people want to travel soon. But how soon may come as a surprise.
Jill Kaiserman, a retired teacher from Wayne, Pennsylvania, is eager to trade one cabin for another. She's already made plans to drive to her second home in Maine this summer.
"It's the perfect kind of place for social distancing," she says.
A new survey by Destination Analysts suggests American travelers feel the worst of the coronavirus may soon be over. Their first order of business when the lockdowns lift? One in five say they'll book a trip.
"Traveler optimism is increasing," says Gavin Harris, commercial director of strategic partnerships at the travel-booking site Skyscanner. His site's research suggests that 85% of Americans believe it will be safe to fly domestically by this fall and 74% think an international flight will be OK.
Ask the Captain: Would you take an international flight in early 2021?
Whether it's a cabin in the woods or a cruise ship cabin, Americans are dreaming of their next trip. And not just dreaming, but booking.
"Travel advisers anticipate an influx of calls in the next six to eight weeks for those looking to plan future trips," says Misty Belles, a spokeswoman for Virtuoso, a travel agency group.
Why? Maybe it's because there's a pent-up demand for travel. People missed their spring break cruises and theme park vacations. Then they had to sit in their homes and apartments for weeks. Now they just want to get out of town.
