FEBRUARY HOT TOPIC: Post-Pandemic Travel

February 21, 2022

        The travel and hospitality industries have been drastically impacted by the global pandemic since early 2020. From canceled vacations, city-wide shutdowns, and extensive travel restrictions, the thought of taking a vacation has drastically changed for many throughout the past two years. With summer right around the corner, many people are looking to get back to traveling.

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“Fill your life with adventure, not things.

Have stories to tell, not stuff to show.”

~unknown

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        I can still remember the day I first experienced every type of weather possible, all in the same day. My family took a trip to Taos, New Mexico, to visit my aunt and uncle when I was 11 years old. The morning after we arrived from our two-day drive across the southern states, I woke to a cool breeze as the sun rose over the mountains highlighting the beautiful red rocks. By lunch time, the summer heat began to creep up nearing 100 degrees.

        That afternoon, my uncle took us to the top of a mountain where I welcomed the sight of 8-foot-tall walls of snow on either side of our passageway. As we returned to the valley for an early evening dinner, a light rain cooled the air, and we had some awesome photo opportunities as a rainbow formed just over top the mountain we had just been on. Late that evening, a storm came through with rushing winds and heavy rains.

        The thing that struck my attention about the weather events of that particular day was that it seemed to have all fallen into place at just the right moments for us to enjoy all of the activities we wanted to experience without hinderance. There were many other things that happened on that trip that made it so special, but the fact that I was able to experience them all with family made it memorable.

        Expedia.com has labeled 2022 as the “year of the GOAT – Greatest of all Trips.” Splurging on extravagant vacations to make up for lost time, being on the lookout for last minute travel deals for spontaneous getaways, and searching once-in-a-lifetime immersive experiences are all trends reported by the company for 2022.

        The past two years have led to many canceled trips and staycations where a lot of families chose to work on home projects in leu of travel. People are showing that they are ready to get out and see the world again. And even though we are not completely free from COVID-19, the desire to return to life before this crisis hit is overwhelmingly evident.

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Top-Searched summer destinations on HomeToGo: 2019 vs. 2022

*Based on U.S. Traveler Searches; data collected Nov. 19, 2021 (cnbc.com)

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        Travel can be as extravagant or simplistic as desired, dependent upon the type of trip you are wanting to take, but nothing beats the experiences you gain from just getting out there and making memories with loved ones. Even travel companies are tapping into this idea of making memories through exploration when it comes to their own advertisements. Glenn Fogle, CEO and president of Booking Holdings said, “You can feel there’s a tremendous desire to travel right now.”

        The airline industry has reported that the domestic passenger segment of the airline market has recovered to within 20% of the pre-pandemic traffic level, while international travel remains at about 25% of the 2019 levels. Different destinations have varying degrees of restrictions and requirements; however, for the most part, most major attractions are returning to business as usual or as close to it as possible.

        Whether you travel abroad or simply take a road trip for a weekend getaway, there are plenty of opportunities to make memories. Hotels and Travel websites are offering incentives to get people back on the roads and in the air. Even though new variants of COVID are lingering around, travel opportunities are still available.

Anna Vajda

Portfolio Strategist

Capital Investment Services, LLC & investingsimply are not registered broker/dealers, and are independent of Raymond James Financial Services. Investment Advisory Services offered through Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. Securities are offered through Raymond James Financial Services, Inc. Member FINRA/SIPC. This material is being provided for information purposes only. Any information is not a complete summary or statement of all available data necessary for making an investment decision and does not constitute a recommendation. Opinions expressed are those of Anna Vajda and are not necessarily those of Raymond James. All opinions are as of this date and are subject to change without notice. The information has been obtained from sources considered to be reliable, but we do not guarantee that the foregoing material is accurate or complete. There is no guarantee these statements, opinions, trends, or forecasts provided herein will prove to be correct.