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The 2021 holiday season might see more travelers than last year if the new COVID-19 Omicron variant doesn’t sway people to cancel their plans.
A holiday travel survey released by The Vacationer suggested that 122 million American adults would be journeying far distances to celebrate Hanukkah, Christmas and Kwanzaa, but it’s important to note that the online poll was administered on Oct. 17 – before the World Health Organization identified and named the Omicron variant.
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The Vacationer’s updated travel survey for 2021 showed a 13.54% increase in the number of American adults who said they intend to travel to a "vacation destination or gathering" compared to last year.
If the COVID-19 Omicron and Delta variants don't play a factor in holiday travel and The Vacationer’s data stands correct, 12.72% of American adults will travel by plane, 60.7% will travel by car and 3.93% will travel on some form of public transportation.
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The Vacationer’s 2021 holiday travel survey was conducted using SurveyMonkey’s interface and audience, and the data was then analyzed by Eric Jones, an assistant professor of mathematics at the Rowan College of South Jersey.
The 2021 holiday season might see more travelers than last year if the new COVID-19 Omicron variant doesn’t sway people to cancel their plans. (iStock)
The survey’s total sample size included 1,092 Americans who are over the age of 18.
"We believe our prediction will be close to holding, but it may end up being slightly less due to the recent COVID-19 surges," Jones told Fox News. "For example, we said 33 million will fly for Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa, which includes the days before and days after. Today [Dec. 20], the TSA said it expects to screen ‘nearly 30M individuals from TODAY through JAN 3,’ which is not far off from our estimate."
Jones continued: Overall, we still expect well over 100 million Americans to travel over the Christmas holiday week, but the figure may be closer to 115 million than the predicted 122 million. Ultimately, Delta/Omicron will deter some people, but most will still keep their initial travel plans."
In terms of how far Americans plan to travel for the December holiday season, more than a third (37.15%) said they’re traveling between one and 99 miles. Nearly one in five (19.3%) said they’re traveling between 100 and 499 miles. Nearly 8% said they’re traveling between 500 and 999 miles or more than 1,000 miles.
Forty percent of these holiday travelers expect to spend $500 or less on gas, flights, hotels, tickets and other festive events. One in 10 expect (11.07%) to spend between $501 and $1,000 while 12.26% expect to spend upwards of $1,001 on holiday travel.
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A separate holiday travel survey published by Hotel Management Magazine recently reported that 45% of American adults who are familiar with the Omicron COVID-19 variant said they’re less likely to travel in the next three months.
It’s not immediately clear how pre- and post-holiday travel will shape up this year.
A holiday travel survey released by The Vacationer suggests that 122 million American adults will journey far distances to celebrate Hanukkah, Christmas and Kwanzaa, but it’s important to note that the online poll was administered on October 17 – before the World Health Organization identified and named the Omicron variant. (iStock)
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Unlike last year, coronavirus vaccines are available in the U.S. to combat COVID-19 and many of its variants. More than 202 million Americans are fully vaccinated, which is equivalent to 61.4% of the U.S. population.
The CDC recommends avoiding unessential travel if you’re feeling sick, have been exposed to COVID-19 while unvaccinated, have tested positive for COVID-19 (regardless of vaccination status) or are waiting for coronavirus test results.
Masks mandates have been reinstated in public spaces across various states throughout the country, including New York, California and Hawaii. These mandates typically apply to indoor areas like hotels, restaurants and stores. On a federal level, mask wear is mandatory on public transportation, transportation hubs and shelters per Executive Order 13998.
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If travel cannot be avoided, the CDC is urging the public to wash hands frequently, social distance, steer clear of large crowds and choose outdoor locations or well-ventilated areas for social outings.
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