Thanksgiving travel trends

The online travel insurance price comparison website said that a main concern for US travellers this year is having the ability to cancel a trip.

This is due to financial concerns and/or work reasons and seems to indicate an awareness of growing austerity. In fact, according to Squaremouth, traveller interest in being able to cancel a trip if they are unexpectedly unable to take time off work has increased by 50 per cent.

In addition, this year, multiple travel suppliers have declared bankruptcy, and this seems to have had an affect on travellers, with 280 per cent more looking for protection if their travel supplier declares insolvency.

Another interesting trend observed by Squaremouth is an increase in visits to international destinations. Indeed, there has been an average increase of 63 per cent to top destinations, including Jamaica, which is the fourth most popular destination for Thanksgiving travellers, with holiday travel to the country having tripled since last year.

France has also grown in popularity, with a 145-per-cent increase in US visitors this Thanksgiving travel season. Italy, too, is more popular this year (a 105-per-cent increase), even though travellers are spending 73-per-cent more on their trips to this country, making it this year’s most expensive Thanksgiving destination.

But the most popular destination for US travellers this Thanksgiving remains … the US itself. And it has even increased in popularity by 12 per cent. Travellers are spending less on their domestic trips this year, though, with an average cost of $2,464.