Travelzoo (NASDAQ: TZOO) found three trends through its latest survey among U.S. consumers, conducted March 7–9: 1) despite current travel concerns, astute travelers are still eager to travel both internationally and within the U.S.; 2) they are looking for safe and smart recommendations; and 3) they recognize now is the time to take advantage of remarkable travel deals.
The survey revealed 44% of respondents stated the coronavirus is not impacting their interest in international travel. Only 36% of respondents said the coronavirus has impacted their planned international travel and of that population, 59% are considering their options including selecting an alternate destination, postponing the trip or canceling the trip. One-quarter of the population impacted said they are unsure of their next steps right now.
Domestic travel interest and plans were less affected by the coronavirus, with 63% stating their interest in domestic travel has not been affected by COVID-19. Only 20% of respondents stated their planned domestic travel has been affected. Of the affected population, 68% are unsure of their next steps or considering their alternate travel options.
"While travelers have to be prudent during this time, many of our 16.8 million U.S. members are still eager to travel, and they're turning to our deal experts for recommendations," said Travelzoo senior editor Gabe Saglie. "We're finding offers from our travel partners that are so compelling, it's almost more expensive to stay home."
Of the destinations they plan to visit in 2020 despite the current climate, Ireland, Greece, Mexico and Spain ranked highly among the international destinations. Florida, California and Las Vegas were top contenders for domestic getaways.
Travelzoo has curated optimal deals for members' needs in the current climate. In the March 4 edition of the Travelzoo Top 20®, the definitive list of the week's best travel, entertainment and local deals, Travelzoo featured $99 one-way fares to Hawaii; a $99 4-star Las Vegas getaway including hotel and airfare; and a 5-star ultra-luxe Mexico vacation for $899.
Travelzoo members immediately responded to these outstanding deals. In the U.S., last week, Travelzoo saw a 32% increase in purchases of hotel deals over the previous week. This includes domestic hotels but also is a result of the outstanding opportunities being offered internationally for both city hotels and resort destinations. Additionally, despite current news surrounding cruising, a cruise partner featured a 7-night Caribbean cruise with balcony cabins for $249 on Travelzoo. More than 400 passengers purchased the deal in less than 24 hours.