• by Larissa Faw , August 25, 2020

In a typical year, leisure travel would be preparing to wind down as Labor Day approaches, but this year, 54% of U.S. travelers say that they are more likely to travel in the fall this year than in previous years due to pandemic disruptions, according to new research from MMGY Global. Two in three (64%) expect to take a leisure trip within the next six months.

The agency’s Travel Intentions Pulse Survey, which measures the impact of COVID-19 on American travelers’ attitudes and changes in travel behavior, suggests the emergence of the newly labeled “Stretch Season” which extends traditional summer travel into early October.

Several factors are driving this extended travel season. In addition to the pent-up demand that the pandemic has created, families are able to work and learn remotely, making midweek and weeklong stays more feasible this fall.

Travelers are expected to hit the road in large numbers. Three in four (73%) say they feel safest traveling in their own car. Road trip are also seen as less expensive as one in three travelers list concerns about personal finances as a potential barrier to travel.

Road warriors will remain sidelined per the study. Only 29% of business travelers expect to take a business trip in the next three months.

See the full report here.