Expedia report shows interest to travel to Puerto Rico up 20% vs. ’20
Travel platform Expedia Group released its Expedia 2022 Travel Trends Report that showed, among other things that during the first 15 days of 2022, the market in Puerto Rico has shown growth in several areas.
The overall search interest to travel to Puerto Rico is picking up with a +20% growth when compared to 2020, it stated.
Like 2020, the most searched destination is Condado, followed by Isla Verde-Carolina, Río Grande-Fajardo, Old San Juan, and Dorado.
Aligned to this, the average length of stay for some popular destinations like Río Grande-Fajardo or Dorado have grown +25% when compared to the same period two years ago.
Travelers are now looking for trips one to three months in advance, an increase of +75% search growth over the year 2020 and those who are looking to travel to Puerto Rico are mostly from the US mainland. (90%).
The study was conducted in collaboration with Wakefield Research among 5,500 adults across eight countries, combined with Expedia Brands proprietary data.
“The findings suggest that after two years of enduring a global pandemic, people value travel and personal time more than ever,” the company stated.
Simultaneously, travelers have started to adapt to the realities of COVID-19, ranking flex travel at the top of their priorities and focusing intently on traveling for good, including taking steps such as tipping industry workers more and choosing less crowded destinations to limit effects of overtourism.
The report underscores the resilience of the industry and reveals how travel companies can adapt to achieve a competitive advantage in this rapidly evolving environment.
“Travel is about to experience a year unlike ever before as people plan purpose-driven trips, value vacation time more, and up their investment in unique experiences,” said Ariane Gorin, president of Expedia for Business.
“Still, travelers are preparing themselves for possible trip changes as COVID-19 persists, and they want an array of options at their fingertips,” she said. “Travel companies that prioritize safety and wellbeing, innovative solutions, and transparent communication will be the clear leaders as the entire industry shifts from survival mode into accelerated demand and growth.”
Other findings from the report confirm that there will be a surge in travel for personal wellness.
“The pandemic caused people to reflect on the importance of spending time with family and preserving their own personal wellbeing. Most people (81%) plan to take at least one vacation with family and friends in the next six months, and the majority are seeking quick doses of adventure, with more than three quarters (78%) expressing an interest in frequent short trips,” the report stated.
The survey also found that nearly two in five (36%) US travelers are searching for a sense of contentment and mental wellbeing on their next trip.
The new world of work will alter traveler priorities
As companies prepare to return to the office and evolve remote work policies, employees are looking to make greater use of their vacation time, and in some cases, combine work and play. More than half (56%) of those who often work remotely will take a “bleisure” style trip — extending a work trip for leisure, or vice versa, the report showed.
The travel platform cited the 2022 Vrbo® Trend Report, which also found that, compared to pre-COVID, 84% of U.S. families have a greater appreciation for vacation time and 77% have a greater appreciation for separating professional and personal life.
Another conclusion is that investment in travel will boom compared to pre-pandemic activity. More than half (54%) of respondents said they plan to spend more on trips than they did prior to the pandemic. Two in five (40%) plan to use loyalty points for at least part of a trip in 2022, with Gen Z in the lead.
