Spring is here; the sundrenched days of summer lie within reach. For most Americans, that means their long-awaited summer vacations are approaching—even if their last trip wasn’t too far in the rearview. (We get it: summer trips just hit different.)
According to a recent survey of more than 1,800 U.S.-based TripIt users, nearly all (97%) respondents took a trip in the past six months: 85% stayed in a hotel, 81% took a domestic flight, 65% took a road trip with a personal car, and 51% took an international flight.
And nearly as many travelers have plans in the next six months: 91% of respondents are planning a trip between now and September. Almost three-quarters (72%) of respondents plan to take a domestic flight; half (51%) plan to fly internationally. As for accommodations, 72% plan to stay in a hotel; 29% plan to stay in a vacation rental.
Flight and accommodation bookings aside, travelers also have safety on their minds right now. While most travelers (69%) say travel has remained at the same level of safety in the past year, our survey data shows nearly three-quarters of travelers are at least somewhat concerned about traveled-related risks, such as theft (72%) and geopolitical conflicts (62%). As such, many travelers, especially those who travel solo, reported taking precautions to ensure their safety while on a trip—including using smart technology.
Let’s take a closer look at what else travelers had to say about their upcoming trips, how they perceive safety—and stay safe—while traveling, and the role technology plays in their trips.
Most travelers report feeling safe, but take preventive action
According to our data, most travelers believe travel is as safe now as it was a year ago—and when safety concerns do arise, nearly half (48%) report taking action to mitigate or alleviate those concerns.
Among the risks travelers are at least somewhat concerned about, theft (72%), geopolitical conflicts (62%), and civil unrest (54%) ranked in the top three; followed by gun violence (49%), aircraft mechanical issues (46%), harassment or assault (44%), COVID-19 (38%), illnesses other than COVID-19 (38%), and discrimination (27%).
Those who were very concerned about traveled-related risks said geopolitical conflict (22%), civil unrest (20%), and risk of theft (19%) were their top reasons why. Just 14% of travelers said they were very concerned about aircraft mechanical issues; conversely, more than a third (38%) said they were not at all concerned about them.
Knowing about potential risks can help travelers feel better prepared to take action against them. Survey respondents reported wearing a face covering while traveling (30%); avoiding large, public events (26%); avoiding close contact with others (21%); and avoiding flying on certain types of aircrafts (17%) in order to mitigate possible risks.
Related reading: 8 Expert Tips for Staying Safe While Traveling
Nearly all solo travelers take precautions on a trip
Solo travelers—a sizable subset of travelers according to our data: 60% of travelers have taken a solo trip before and more than a quarter (26%) are planning a solo trip in 2024—face unique risks, and thus, must think about safety in a nuanced way.
And while comfort levels are high—79% of travelers said they are at least somewhat comfortable with solo travel and 60% say they are very comfortable with it—86% said they take action to stay safe while traveling solo.
When taking solo trips, survey respondents also said they favor domestic destinations that they haven’t been to before. One possible reason? Domestic trips offer a sense of freedom—51% of travelers said they like the flexibility of planning a solo trip and not having to coordinate schedules with others—but also the comfort of knowing the language, culture, and currency.
DYK? TripIt’s Neighborhood Safety Scores will show you the level of safety for the neighborhoods you’re visiting. You can access hyperlocal safety ratings for myriad categories along any point within your TripIt itinerary for more than 65,000 cities and neighborhoods, including scores for overall safety, health and medical, physical harm, women’s safety, political freedoms, theft, and LGBTQ safety.
Travelers agree on travel apps; mixed on AI
When it comes to staying safe while traveling, technology also plays a role: nearly half (47%) of travelers said hotel smart locks were their favorite travel technology. This tech ranked third behind travel apps (91%) and biotechnology at airports, such as facial scans at security (56%).
While nearly all travelers felt comfortable using travel apps, there were mixed feelings about using generative AI for travel: 27% said they felt somewhat or mostly positive, 47% said neither positive nor negative, and 26% said somewhat or mostly negative.
Travelers could see the benefit of generative AI for some aspects of travel, however.
“As investment in AI and generative AI solutions continue, travelers are likely to see a variety of new tools emerge to help plan, book, and organize trips, from securing the best prices to personalized experiences and smart assistants,” said Jen Moyse, Vice President of Product at TripIt. “So far, publicly available generative AI models are unable to provide reliable, real-time specifics on things like prices and detailed itineraries, but the landscape is changing daily. While AI-powered tools that can manage the heavy lifting of trip planning may not be far off, my advice for travelers is to verify any information gathered from today's tools since models are trained differently and are new enough that we can still expect some missteps.”
Travelers’ feelings towards AI might be in flux, but there are other tools and tech they can’t imagine traveling without. These must-have items include: a back-up charging device (65%), tablet/e-reader (49%), noise-canceling headphones (48%), roller bags (45%), and a reusable water bottle (26%).
For many travelers, what was once a nice-to-have is now an indispensable item. And the same might be said for AI one day, whether you’re using it to break down language barriers or avoid safety risks. Now, and in the future, staying informed will help you stay safe—an evergreen need in an ever-changing world of travel.
Methodology: TripIt surveyed more than 1,800 U.S.-based users to understand their past and upcoming travel plans, plus their priorities, preferences, and behaviors regarding travel and travel planning. The survey took place March 11-22, 2024.
