Over Half of People Say They’ll Travel This Summer—But Rising Gas Prices May Stall Road Trip Plans

New surveys show over half of Americans and Canadians have plans to take summer trips, but rising gas prices continue to impact driving affordability.
Written by Claire Beaney
Reviewed by Kathleen Flear
Summer travel seems to be nearing pre-pandemic levels, with around 60% of Americans and Canadians saying they plan on traveling during the summer months. However, rising gas prices may put a halt to possible road trips.
This info came about thanks to surveys conducted by leading travel insurance provider Generali Global Assistance and global tire manufacturer Hankook Tire.
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Over half of Americans and Canadians plan on setting out this summer

Generali Global Assistance (GGA) recently published the results of the
2022 Holiday Barometer
, which surveyed people across the United States and Canada. 
It shows summer travel has almost returned to pre-pandemic levels, with 60% of Americans saying they want to travel this summer, a 10-point increase from 2021. A comparable proportion of Canadians polled (61%) said they intend to travel this summer.
Travelers are waiting longer to schedule their travels, as only 50% of Americans who said they were planning to travel have started to book their trips. Even more Canadians are putting off arranging their summer travel plans; only 42% of Canadians who said they were going to travel have made plans for the summer.
"Even though travelers still need to take Covid-related precautions, it is reassuring that Americans are traveling again,” Chris Carnicelli, CEO of GGA, commented.
Other key findings of the survey include:
  • Americans' travel budgets are rebounding, and they're anticipated to spend $2,750 this year, a nearly 20% increase over last year. Canadians are predicted to spend 10% less than their American counterparts.
  • While nearly half of those polled have not decided on a summer trip, those who have prefer domestic travel to international travel. 
  • Those that travel worldwide prefer North America to Europe, while top European destinations continue to include France, Italy, and the United Kingdom.
  • Americans are choosing city trips over beach vacations as Covid-related limitations relax, making urban tourism more appealing. Cities are the most popular type of destination in Canada (38%), followed by the countryside (37%), and the seaside (35%).
“The number of Americans and Canadians who are traveling this summer is a great sign for the industry and, with increased travel budgets, the future of travel is looking up,” Carnicelli added. 
As well, American interest in travel insurance has increased to 38%. Canadians are more likely to purchase policies, with 60% of those polled saying they were likely to purchase insurance for a future trip.

Gas prices may stall summer road trips

But for those American travelers hoping to spend their summer
road-tripping across the states
, the rise in gas prices is proving to be a major challenge. 
A recent study from the
Hankook Tire Gauge Index
looked at how the present economic condition affects when and why Americans drive. 
And just as traveling and driving frequency approaches pre-pandemic levels, an overwhelming majority (78%) report that increasing gas prices are already affecting driving on a daily basis.
  • Over half (54%) of Americans say they have driven less frequently in the last 30 days as a result of rising gas costs—a 28% increase from March 2022, when prices first began to climb.
  • Gas prices are also a strong motivator for people considering an electric vehicle. One-quarter (26%) plan to purchase an electric car in the future due to current prices, and a further 51% believe that saving money on gas is the most tempting benefit of making the switch.
  • Rising costs affect more than simply gas prices and driving frequency. 26% of Americans said inflation is also pushing them to complete more basic house maintenance activities.
"After two summers of pandemic-fueled uncertainty, the latest Gauge results show that drivers who are eager to get behind the wheel are facing a new roadblock," commented JJ Park, vice president of marketing at Hankook Tire America Corp. 
"While we can't control the price of gas, staying on top of
regular vehicle maintenance
, including the tires, can help mitigate additional costs along the way and maximize fuel efficiency."
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