2023 Travel Trends Study (partial report)

This is just a partial report, we'll be releasing the full report by September 8th, 2023.  For now, this is a partial report to help you gain an understanding of the 2023 Travel Trends Study.  

Key Insights of the 2023 Report Reveal

• Leisure travelers are changing their habits in light of the overall economy
• Travel is returning to pre-Covid numbers
• Reviews can easily disqualify a property, but reviews alone can’t entice a visitor to stay
• Canadians are back on the road, with only 18% citing Covid as a major factor in limiting travel
• Loyalty programs are surging in popularity for leisure travelers
• Hoteliers must change their social media strategies to win over travelers.

Travel Planning in 2023

What triggers the travel planning cycle in 2023?

43.5% - Discussion with family or friends 
35.3% - I simply need a vacation
12.9% - Seeing content from businesses and tourism organizations
03.5% - Email promotion
02.1% - Advertisement 
02.0% - Social Media post from the business
00.8% - Social Medai post from friends and family

How far in advance do you start planning your travel?

20.0% - Greater than 6 months 
17.3% - 3 Months Out
14.7% - 2 Months Out
14.0% - 6 Months Out
09.9% - 4 Months Out
08.5% - 1 Month Out
05.4% - 5 Months Out
05.3% - 2 Weeks to 4 Weeks Out
04.8% - Less than 2 Weeks Out

How far in advance do you book your accommodations?

15.9% - Greater than 6 months
15.6% - 3 Months Out
14.9% - 2 Months Out
12.2% - 1 Month Out
11.2% - 6 Months Out
10.4% - 4 Months Out
07.5% - Less than 2 Weeks Out
07.3% - Between 2 Weeks and 4 Weeks Out
05.0% - 5 Months Out

Travel Research Trends in 2023

Where do travelers tend to conduct their research and ultimately decide on where to spend their time while on vacation?

48.5% - Internet Reseach (Google, Bing, Yahoo, Yelp, TripAdvisor, etc)
12.4% - Online Travel Agents (Booking.com, Expedia, Travelocity, etc)
11.1% - Destination Websites (Explore Southern Sawyer County)
09.9% - Vacation Rent Sites
09.8% - Hotel/Resorts Own Website 
03.4% - Travel Review Websites
02.5% - Word of Mouth
00.9% - Printed Visitor Guide
00.6% - Social Media Page/Group

How does this play into Southern Sawyer County Tourism?

In order to meet the visitors where they're planning their trip, you need to understand the trends and identify opportunities to market directly to them when they start the vacation/trap planning process.

This is why Explore Southern Sawyer County is a great ally for Southern Sawyer County businesses, we understand the trends, we know how to reach audiences using digital communications, we know how to utilize and leverage the power of storytelling to create excitement and buzz.  

ADVERTISING