Since the onset of the COVID-19 crisis, leading provider of specialized guest-facing software solutions and digital marketing services for the hotel industry,Fuel, has been doing its part to help the hospitality industry navigate these uncharted waters byconducting a series of studies aimed at gaining insights into the consumer mindset and providing hoteliers with a benchmark for gauging recovery. Fuel recently fielded athird study of North American leisure travellers regarding their perceptions and fears related to travel during the COVID-19 crisis.
Given the sample size for these surveys, this report constitutes one of the most thorough and comprehensive reports on consumer sentiment. In launching theFuel COVID-19 Consumer Sentiment Study Volume 3, Fuel sent out a survey on April 30, 2020, and received more than 10,000 responses. For this study instalment, the data was broken down by age group (Millennials, Gen Xers, Boomers), household income (<$50K, $50-100K, >$100K), and location (hot spots).
“As it appears that the U.S. has started a slow recovery, there is still so much uncertainty surrounding timing and demand,” said Stuart Butler, chief operating officer of Fuel. “As an industry thought leader, we want to provide information about when consumers will feel comfortable traveling again so that hotels can develop more effective marketing campaigns.”
Insights from the study include:
- Millennials consistently answered that they will be more willing to travel sooner than Gen X and Boomers.
- Distance and location matter. The data has been extremely consistent in showing that less densely populated locations, and those within a few hours drive from home are more likely to be visited within the first 3 months of restrictions being lifted.
- Hope is on the horizon. When asked for ‘one word to describe traveling now’, respondents provided more positive phrases than in previous studies, including, “ready,” “excited,” “freedom,” and “hopeful.”
In the third instalment of Fuel’s COVID-19 Consumer Sentiment Study series, there were very few changes in results overall compared to the last survey, indicating that consumers are settling into the new normal. To review all of the results, visit FuelTravel.com or get the downloadable copy here. The first study can be found here, and the second one is available here.
In addition to the COVID-19 Consumer Sentiment Study, Fuel has been helping guide the hospitality industry during these unknown times by creating a comprehensive master list of crisis-management resources for hotels and by publishing daily podcast episodes andblog articles with tangible and tactical advice on what hotels should be doing to survive.
To learn more, please visit fueltravel.com
