Are Americans Expecting To Travel This Summer?

Russ Curry, Ministry of New Media

The overwhelming majority of U.S. adults (85%) are expecting to travel this summer, taking even more vacation time than they did in 2021: nearly half (48%) of Americans who plan to vacation this summer will take two weeks or more, up from (41%) last summer. Driving in personal vehicles is the leading choice for getting to summer vacation destinations.

These are key findings from ‘OOH Consumer Insights and Intent – Q1 2022‘ a new research report from the Out of Home Advertising Association of America (OAAA), the national trade association for the entire OOH media ecosystem, conducted in partnership with The Harris Poll.

Anna Bager, President and CEO, OAAA told us “With ‘hitting the road’ on the rise, out of home advertising will fuel even more brand engagement. While this research highlights its power for automotive marketers, more Americans traveling, and commuting will increase the opportunity for OOH across all categories to reach an audience that’s looking forward to being on-the-go. Marketers would be wise to include OOH in their plans to take full advantage.”

The report says that 80 percent of workers expect to be commuting in spring of 2022, rising to 84 percent by summer 2022, and by that time most (64%) anticipate going to the office five days a week.

Americans are increasingly comfortable traveling by all modes of transportation, especially Urbanites and Millennials. Sixty-nine percent of the public feels safe flying given the pandemic – up from 59% last April – while 67% feel the same about trains. In addition, nearly two-thirds of U.S. adults feel comfortable using ride shares and taxis (62% / 61%) – both up significantly from April 2021.

With short and long-haul travel on the agenda, many Americans recall seeing out of home advertising focused on the automotive sector. Half of Gen Z, Millennials, Men and Urbanites in big cities (+1M in population) report seeing an automotive brand or dealership OOH ad recently. Over two in five (43%) who recall these OOH messages say that the experience prompted them to actively engage with the ad, whether visiting the brand/dealer’s website (38%), researching the advertised brand/dealer (38%), sharing information with friends or family (30%), visiting the brand/dealer’s showroom (23%), and more.

John Gerzema, CEO, The Harris Poll said “These findings confirm the good news that Americans are ready to get out and about,” said “Whether they are on-the-road, on public transit or flying, all modes of transportation will be seeing an uptick and OOH is an excellent way to gain mindshare and drive action.”

OOH Consumer Insights and Intent – Q1 2022‘ was sponsored by The Foundation for Outdoor Advertising Research and Education (FOARE), a 501 (c) (3) not for profit, charitable organization.

To review the findings click here.


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