Travel and travel planning has taken a huge hit due to coronavirus. As states are reopening and we are seeing cases spike again, people are more hesitant to travel than ever. However, stay-cations or short term travel is starting to rise. How do we know this? Companies like Outdoorsy and RVshare are reporting an uptick in RV reservations and national parks are sold out of reservations for weeks. Take for instance, Pedernales State Park, just outside of Austin, TX. The park ranger told us he gets offered hundreds of dollars daily from visitors who cannot get a reservation online. In fact, they are booking through July for day passes. So, when talking about the impact on the tourism industry, while long trips requiring flights are out of the question for most Americans, camping and RV trips are in.
Age:
Age is very important when it comes to looking at who is traveling. Families and those younger than 30 seem to be more interested in traveling than those without families and the elderly. The younger generations seem to be ok with accepting the risks because, chances are, if they have had friends with the virus, they have seen them recover. Younger generations also are more adventurous in travel in general. So, if you are preparing to run ads, make sure to target for the younger demographic.
Income:
According to Lorie Pennington-Gray, the director of the Tourism Crisis Management Initiative in a New York Times article, those “making $125,000 or more were more interested in traveling than those with lower incomes.” This, she explained, is because income is related to experience, so they’re more likely to have traveled and thus feel more comfortable doing so.
What they are looking for:
While people are traveling, they are looking for things to do outside that do not involve crowds. Highlighting hiking, fishing, kayaking and other experiences offered in or around your park, will help people feel more comfortable while traveling.
While planning activities might be hard in the coming months, keep in mind social distancing will have to be a part of it. Click here to read about activities you could offer that keep your campers socially distant. Additionally, having a more relaxed cancelation policy might help travelers who are on the fence about going. We hope everyone is staying safe and wish you all a great 2020 Summer season.
