The results of Expedia’s inaugural Traveler Value Index are in, and based on the input from the global, 8,000-person poll, the analysis gives some interesting perspective on where people want to go and why.
With so many feeling the travel bug, 75% of the respondents say they want to go someplace they’ve never been, and 22% are seeking a “once in a lifetime” experience.
Among the findings, 34% of those polled say they’ve got a bigger travel budget this year as compared to last, and 18% expect travel to be their biggest expense in 2021.
In fact, travel ranks up there with other major yearly expenditures for the respondents: 18% also said home renovation was a top budget priority for the year. Travel beat out entertainment, 12%; buying or maintaining a car, 11%; and even healthcare, 11%.
Sixty percent of those polled say they’re looking to travel domestically for now, though 27% say they’re considering a trip to another country in the next year.
The poll also revealed that price is no longer a priority when it comes to booking a trip: Instead, according to the report, more than one in four travelers would pay more for the ability to get a refund if a trip plan goes sideways. Being able to get your money back on airfare and rental properties even out-paced a travel experience’s “enhanced cleaning and disinfection” as a priority.
Fifty-nine percent said they’d pay more for travel that supports sustainable practices.
As for why they want to travel, 56% say “new experiences” are the reason they want to get away; 51% said they travel to experience new cultures; 48% say traveling boosts their physical and mental wellness; and 33% say they use travel to make themselves a “more well-rounded person.”