2022 Travel: AAA Report Shows Traveler Confidence Rebounding

NORTH CAROLINA — 2022 is off to a much better start for the travel industry than 2021, as people start to feel more comfortable taking trips after the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to AAA, bookings are off to a strong start following their quarterly survey. Their survey shows 63 percent of North Carolina respondents and 62 percent of South Carolina respondents report feeling comfortable traveling now. Last year, just 36 percent of North Carolinians and 41 percent of South Carolinians reported feeling comfortable in the same time period.

According to the survey, traveler confidence is driven by:

• The COVID-19 vaccine
• Belief that the risk of contracting the virus is the same wherever they go
• People are more knowledgeable and less afraid about the virus
• The implementation of enhanced safety measures
• Reports that COVID-19 cases and deaths are declining

“The rebound in traveler confidence is translating to strong bookings at AAA’s travel agency,” said Debbie Haas, Vice President of Travel for AAA – The Auto Club Group. “Not only are we seeing more cruise and tour bookings than this time last year, but members are spending more money on their trips. While some of this is the excitement of getting back to traveling, there are those who have more money to spend after traveling less in recent years. Additionally, we’re beginning to see customers apply travel vouchers they may have received after postponing a previous trip, due to the pandemic.”

Another trend picking up is cruise bookings.

“This will be the first full year of cruising since the pandemic began,” Haas continued. “Last year, cruising began building back in the summer with most ships at reduced capacity. This year, we expect to see things begin to normalize with more itineraries and cabins becoming available on river and ocean cruising.”

AAA recommends asking one of their agents or a travel agent any questions you might have before traveling about COVID-19 policies or safety tips. Many websites like AirBnB or specific hotel chains detail their cancellation policies as well as their cleaning protocol.