In April 2021, we surveyed past + future travelers to find out how they’re looking forward to getting back to travel.

With travel statistics improving and restrictions lifting across the country, we know that travelers are excited to travel again! To better understand how the Pack Up + Go community feels about getting back to travel, we launched the Back to Travel 2021: Travel Opinions Survey.

The survey asked many questions regarding the future of travel - asking about their interests, if they had to cancel a trip, if they are planning to travel in 2021, and more!

As travel has certainly changed in the last year, we have continued to plan surprise vacations, albeit, in an entirely new way! We launched Staycations, Pack Up + Go Outdoors Surprise Road Trips, longer trips, and revamped our itineraries and city recommendations to ensure we have the most up-to-date information available.

Almost 1,000 people gave us their opinions on current + future travel plans.

Here’s what we found!

Written by Corinne Hogge + Amelia Johnson

94% said they’re planning on traveling in 2021

Now boarding: summer fun! The overwhelming majority said that they plan on traveling later this year, with 52% of respondents saying they’ve already booked a vacation for later this year.

Many cities + states continue to announce reopening procedures, giving travelers (and Travel Planning Teams) more and more options for exploring every day. Our main priority at Pack Up + Go is to keep our travelers safe and comfortable. That’s why you can always let us know on your Pre-Trip Survey any places you would not like to visit and activities you’re comfortable doing! Remember, your Pack Up + Go Trip is personalized to you, so please let us know anything specific on the Pre-Trip Survey.

People are hitting the road (and the air) this year

Last year, we saw a huge increase in demand for Road Trips and Staycations compared to 2019, and that trend is continuing in 2021!

41% of people said they want to take a Road Trip, 17% said Staycations are on their radar (a 3% increase over last year!), and 42% said they’re up for a Plane or Train trip this year. The good news is - we offer all three! Road Trips allow you to explore without having to get too far from home. We’ll recommend pit stops on the way to and from your mystery destination, plus you’ll get to travel from the comfort (and safety!) of your own car.

Staycations pack in the vacation vibes without having to leave your city. You’ll still enjoy the surprise of your trip details on the day you depart, but you’ll be more familiar with your city’s guidelines.

Additionally, 65% of people said they are sticking to domestic travel for the foreseeable future. Being domestic travel experts, we know that every American city has something incredible to offer! All of our 125+ destination cities are located in the United States and we’re proud to help foster the American economy.

Bucketlist Destinations

Respondents reported 427 different destinations from the furthest reaches of the USA (aloha, Hawaii + Alaska), National Parks, and a ton of other amazing Pack Up + Go destinations!

Here are the most popular answers:

51% of people agree that they don’t want to travel until they are able to enjoy their destination to the fullest

We totally understand this! With restrictions changing with frequency, it’s fair to think about they might impact your next vacation. Although we can’t foresee every unexpected closure or disruption in our destination cities, we are doing our very best to vet each recommendation, call restaurants to triple-check their policies, and provide additional suggestions for outdoor and socially distant activities.

Plus, we offer 24/7 Traveler Support with our in-house Traveler Support Team so we’ll be there every step of the way in case you need absolutely anything!

Travel is changing, but so are we

Things might look a little different than they did the last time you traveled - think more QR codes, fewer free samples - but one thing is clear, people are looking forward to traveling again. The Pack Up + Go is so excited to travel with you in 2021 + beyond (in fact, we’ve had many trips depart already!) and continue to bring the joy of surprise vacations throughout the U.S.

When you’re ready to sign-up for your Surprise Trip, always make sure to let us know any specific preferences you have on the Pre-Trip Survey. Check out this blog on how to make the most of your survey!