Tripadvisor | September 08, 2020

Key Largo, Key West and St. Pete Beach are among the fastest recovering U.S. destinations since last year

NEEDHAM, Mass., Sept. 8, 2020 — Tripadvisor, the world’s largest travel platform, today released findings from its Seasonal Travel Index for Fall, providing travelers with insight into where Americans are traveling this autumn as tourism markets continue their path to recovery during the COVID-19 pandemic. Recent Tripadvisor site data shows that globally, domestic travel for the fall season (September 1 – November 30, 2020) continues to gradually recover, with nearly two-thirds (65 percent) of all travelers planning domestic fall getaways. Of those travelers, 79 percent of them are planning a September trip – the busiest fall travel month.1

Outdoor adventures, which have gained popularity since the beginning of the pandemic, are continuing to interest travelers this fall. In fact, 61 percent of U.S. travelers are more likely to consider outdoor or nature trips and 54 percent are more likely to consider road trips now, compared to before the pandemic2.

Fall Travel Trends:

  • Most popular: Key Largo, Fla. is leading year-over-year recovery in the U.S. this fall. While travel is still down year-over-year (YoY), the Sunshine State is home to several destinations that are recovering the quickest YoY this season based on searches for hotel bookings.
  • Destination type: Domestic travelers are more keen to visit beach destinations, and are less interested in central city getaways. While Florida and Arizona have always been popular destinations, there is significant year-over-year increase in travelers planning to visit this fall.
  • Trip length: Travelers are looking for short getaways with 55 percent of fall travelers booking two to five night stays, and 36 percent booking short one-night stays.
  • Last-minute travel: Fall travelers are booking more near-term trips, often less than a week in advance
  • Safety first: Across the globe, safety remains critical. Sixty-eight percent of global travelers say safety and cleanliness of establishments are important when traveling locally.

“Among all of the disruption and restrictions this year, 76 percent of U.S. travelers continue to say that travel is important to them, even if they can’t experience the world like they used to,” said Christopher Hsi, Consumer Market Research Lead Analyst for Tripadvisor. “The pandemic has forced travelers to be creative and explore new destinations in ways they may not have considered previously. This fall, we’re seeing a rise in destinations where travelers can relax and rejuvenate, as opposed to the busy hustle and bustle of popular cities.”

Top U.S. Destinations for Fall 2020, based on year-over-year growth for domestic hotel bookings
Beach destinations across the U.S. gain interest and jump in rank year-over-year.

  1. Key Largo, Fla.
  2. Key West, Fla.
  3. Atlantic City, N.J.
  4. St. Pete Beach, Fla.
  5. Myrtle Beach, S.C.
  6. Sedona, Ariz.
  7. Scottsdale, Ariz.
  8. Clearwater, Fla.
  9. San Diego, Calif.
  10. Savannah, Ga.

Other travel insights:

  • Travelers are more budget conscious: Domestic travelers across the globe are searching for hotel stays less expensive than last year.
  • While more travelers are viewing luxurious resorts and all-inclusive properties, campgrounds and farmhouses are recovering the fastest year on year.
  • Traveling with your pet is an amenity with promising signs of recovery, and supporting the outdoor trend, hiking is recovering faster than any other amenities offered by hotels across the world year on year.
  • Accommodation style: While hotels make up the majority of interest due to size, Bed & Breakfasts have shown continuously stronger recovery year-over-year. Quaint, romantic and charming hotel properties over-index in the U.S.

Methodology

  1. Fall travel trends based on Tripadvisor platform hotel search and booking data for fall stays (September 1 – November 30, 2020), ending week of August 24-30, 2020.
  2. Tripadvisor Traveler Sentiment Survey of 1,447 respondents in the U.S., UK, Italy, Australia, Japan and Singapore from August 31 – September 2, 2020.