More than half of people surveyed in the UK and France prefer to make travel plans in their own countries for the coming months. Even Americans, who are great travelers, will largely choose to rediscover their homeland during their vacations. In short, it seems that domestic tourism will not be any less successful with the easing of Covid-related travel restrictions.
At the height of the pandemic, there was talk of "revenge travel," the frantic desire to make up for lost time by envisioning one travel experience after another as soon as the borders reopen. Many tourists have expressed nostalgia for their past escapades, and even for their various experiences on board airplanes. Some airlines have even been ready to take them for a spin on simple trips to nowhere. So you might have thought that with the vaccine roll-out and the easing of restrictions in many countries, travelers would be jumping at the chance to get back out there to explore the world.
Yet local tourism, buoyed by border closures at the start of the pandemic, is not over yet. Over the next 12 months, 45% of Americans say they will plan trips within the US, while only 14% will travel abroad, reports a YouGov Global Travel Profiles survey. Singaporeans are also unlikely to leave their home country (33%). Even the British, who are used to travelling the globe, prefer to visit their own country rather than jet off abroad (52% vs. 43%). French travelers didn't need to wait for the pandemic to appreciate their country as a great vacation destination. Unsurprisingly, they are the most numerous among the five nationalities surveyed to prefer domestic spots when considering future trips (60%). Conversely, UAE residents, who have always traveled extensively, will continue to favor foreign getaways (61%).
In fact, international travel is mainly a project for the youngest, aged 16 to 24. This is a situation that primarily concerns young British people, 66% of whom plan a trip outside the UK. In France, the gap is very narrow between those who want to vacation at home and those who favor going abroad, at 51% versus 53% (for domestic trips). The same goes for young Americans (23% versus 31% for domestic travel).
**The YouGov Global Travel Profiles study was conducted in March 2022 among adults in five countries (France, United Kingdom, United States, United Arab Emirates, Singapore).*
