Dentsu is out with a survey of consumer summer travel plans that finds that 75% are planning a summer vacation this year and that nearly half are planning more than one trip this year. Also, trips being planned this year are longer than those planned for last year. 

International trips are also making a comeback from pandemic lows, per the survey. 31% of travelers are planning to go abroad this year, an 18-percentage point hike over last year.  

Inflation is impacting travel plans, with 45% expecting to pay more this year. In response, travelers say they are trimming budgets elsewhere to foot their travel bills or spending less during trips by cutting shopping budgets or switching to cheaper transportation modes.  

That said, others a splurging—the survey found a 12-percentage point increase in the number of travelers choosing premium accomodations versus a year ago.  

The study shows that travelers are split about equally between choosing travel brands based on lowest price and those that provide loyalty points. 

Travel shows have influenced the greatest share of consumers to book travel (38%), followed by documentaries and food shows. About 2 in 5 consumers are influenced by social media when choosing a destination choice. Video games are a significant influence on travel choices for Gen Z and Millennials according to the survey.  

2020 and 2021 were some of the worst years on record for the travel industry, given the pandemic while 2022 offered a moderate comeback albeit with numerous cancellations and ensuing chaos, per the study. 

“All-in-all summer travel for 2023 looks like smooth sailing,” the study concludes. More from the survey can be found here.