AAA Washington data reveals certain spring break vacations lasting longer this year and are spread out over a longer period of time; bookings show trips will happen during a 90-day period in 2021 as compared to 62 days in 2019.
- Clients who’ve booked flights, car rental and hotel combinations with AAA Travel are heading to Hawaii, Phoenix, Palm Springs and Las Vegas. These Spring Break trips last 8.5 days, on average; nearly two days longer than those in 2019.
- The top destinations, determined by requests for AAA maps and TourBook Guides, plus the high number of same-day, one-night hotel stays, point to road trips and plans to visit national parks around the Pacific Northwest, Montana, Wyoming and Colorado as the preferred spring break getaway. The warmer temperatures are pulling others south to California, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico and Utah. When planning a route, any traveler can use the AAA COVID-19 restrictions map to see current city, county and state rules.
- Mexico is the most popular destination for clients who feel ready to travel internationally. In addition to Mexico, Jamaica, The Bahamas, Saint Lucia, Costa Rica, Belize and the British Virgin Islands are allowing Americans to visit. Each country has its own set of COVID-19 requirements. A travel agent is recommended to guide people through the maze of entry fees, testing rules, quarantine plans, extra insurance and cancellation policies.
- Clients are showing confidence that travel will be safe again and they accept its slow return to normal. Bookings are being made an average of 208 days before departure; that’s twice as far out as pre-pandemic levels. But when they do depart, these passengers plan to travel in style spending 560% more on their vacations.
