Research shows government travel restrictions deterring travel short-term but Americans looking farther out

American traveler sentiment remains largely unchanged this week, with more than 60 percent of Americans continuing to believe that the pandemic will get worse in the next month, according to Destination Analysts. These concerns are negatively impacting openness to travel with approximately half of travelers saying they have lost their interest in travel for the time being. Additionally, new consumer restrictions across the country due to recent surges in cases of the virus appear to be achieving their goals of deterring travel. Nearly 30 percent of Americans who have cancelled or postponed trips say it was due to government travel restrictions, and while Americans support safety restrictions in large part (58 percent), more than 30 percent say that new travel restrictions make them less likely to travel even within their own states during the next two months.
 
While travel is being restricted during the next several months, Americans indicate that travel in the next six months is likely. At least 80 percent of Americans have tentative trip plans for the future, and a majority of them feel the latest news on vaccine development makes them more optimistic that they can travel safely in the coming months. One thing that will affect the desire to visit certain destinations is negative COVID-19 media coverage. Nearly 80 percent of Americans say that coverage regarding behavior not in line with safety guidelines makes them less interested in visiting in the next six months.