NORWALK, Conn., June 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- After a long
pandemic year, the overwhelming majority (92%) of Americans will
travel, or already have, in 2021; with 52% going as soon as this
summer, according to the Priceline Work-Life Balance Report,
released today.
Priceline, a world leader in travel deals, surveyed full- and
part-time employees to examine consumer thoughts around paid time
off (PTO) in 2020 compared to 2021, identify trends on how the
modern workplace impacts Americans' desire to travel and how they
travel, and determine how Americans plan to use their
PTO.
Missed Experiences & The Power of PTO
Americans
traveled less than ever before in 2020 and felt the loss in more
ways than one.
Only one in five (21%) Americans used all of their PTO in
2020, down from 30% in 2019, with 30% of those who didn't use all
their PTO holding off in hopes that they'd be able to travel later
and 28% planning to carry over their unused days.
More than half (54%) of those who didn't use their days off
regret not taking them, representing a significant change from the
one in five (21%) who felt that way in 2019, according to findings
from a 2019 Priceline survey. Parents were most likely to note
their mental (78%) and physical health (73%) would have benefited
from taking a break.
Those with regrets feel they "wasted" their newfound flexibility
(35%) and regret not working from different/new places (32%).
Two-fifths (40%) regret not taking more trips, especially younger
generations (49% of Gen Z and 51% of Millennials, compared to 37%
of Gen X and 22% of Boomers).
"Now that we've all felt the very real burnout that happens when
we don't take the time to recharge, the value of vacation is no
longer abstract—it's fact," says Priceline CEO Brett Keller.
Work Hard, Travel Hard: WFH Offers Better Work-Life
Balance
A recent survey revealed that four in 10
(40%) of Americans prefer to work from home
full-time.1 A result of embracing this new
lifestyle? The rise in popularity of workcation trips, which
combine work and vacation.
A whopping 75% of people say remote work has made work-life
balance more achievable, with 72% enjoying not having to go into
the office so they could work from different locations and 66%
feeling encouraged to explore new destinations.
Those working remotely in the West (75%) and Northeast (72%)
agree that remote work has encouraged them to explore new places,
compared to those in the South (61%) and Midwest (59%).
Sixty percent of respondents say remote work has encouraged them
to blur the lines and take more workcations. Meanwhile, 34% report
extending a trip because they have the ability to work from
anywhere.
Parents were especially inclined to take advantage of remote
work and travel. They were 55% more likely than non-parents
to say that remote work encouraged them to take more workcations.
Not only that, parents did more traveling last year overall, they
were even more likely to have taken a solo trip (14%) in the last
year than non-parents (8%).
"This year the average hotel length of stay increased 12%
compared to 2019," says Keller. "Americans are not only traveling
more, but they're making travel a bigger part of their lifestyles
through workcations."
2021 is the Year of the Vacation
After a housebound
2020, Americans are poised to embrace this freedom with a
vengeance, as two-thirds (66%) plan to take full advantage of
working remotely by traveling more this year and plan on using more
PTO in 2021 compared to any other year (65%). In fact, although
their 2020 trips were canceled, more than half (56%) of Americans
plan on rescheduling them all this year, with men (60%) more likely
to do so than women (51%).
When asked if they plan to travel and are excited to do so,
respondents noted yes: 78% are excited to travel, and nearly
all—92%—are planning to do so.
As Americans start to travel more, they are especially looking
to take more meaningful trips—reuniting with loved ones, pursuing
their passions, or tackling their bucket lists.
Visiting family and friends is a priority for 38%. Essential
workers are 40% more likely than non-essential workers to
use their PTO to travel more to see friends/family, because the
pandemic made them realize the importance of moments with loved
ones.
Sixty-two percent of those with a fixed amount of PTO are taking
a trip to a place they've never been before, while half (53%) are
prioritizing destinations on their bucket lists.
Three in five (61%) want to take a vacation based on a personal
passion, with Millennials showing the most interest in doing so
(72%).
However, with the onset of a travel surge, the rise in longer
workcation trips and prices returning to—and now often
exceeding—pre-pandemic levels, 74% of Americans agree that travel
deals are important, and that travel packages make working while
traveling easier (71%).
"Whether visiting loved ones, exploring a new place, or simply
relaxing on a beach, travel is transformative," explains Keller.
"Which is why Priceline is committed to bringing travelers the
world's best travel deals."
To help Americans recharge and take advantage of their PTO,
Priceline is launching its Fourth of July summer sale on
June 23, 2021 with exclusive coupons
and big deals on hotels, car rentals, and flights. For a head start
on savings, and access to exclusive deals, consumers can sign up
for Priceline's VIP Loyalty program to get an additional
$25 off Express Deals sitewide on
June 21-22, 2021.
To read Priceline's full Work-Life Balance Report, outlining
additional trends and details on how Americans are traveling, visit
Press.Priceline.com.
Priceline's Work-Life Balance Report Methodology
Results are based on an online survey conducted between April 29 and May 3, 2021 among 1,000
full- or part-time employees aged 18+. The results are nationally
representative as it relates to age, gender, race/ethnicity,
income, and region in the United
States.
1 Harris Report survey: "The DNA of Work Has
Changed: USA Today-Harris Poll"
(2021).
Connect with Priceline on:
Facebook, Instagram, Twitter
About Priceline
Priceline, part of Booking Holdings
Inc. [NASDAQ: BKNG], is a world leader in travel deals. Priceline
offers exclusive discounts on hotels, flights, alternative
accommodations, rental cars, cruises and packages. We offer more
than a million lodging properties, helping travelers find the right
accommodation at the right price. We negotiate great deals every
day, and put our best pricing on the Priceline app. Our deep
discounts on hotels, flights, rental cars and more are also
distributed through our partnership brand, Priceline Partner
Network. With free cancellation for many rates, 24-hour customer
assistance and the option for both pre-paid and pay upon arrival
reservations, Priceline helps millions of travelers be there for
the moments that matter. For us, and for our customers, every trip
is a big deal.
For further information, please contact:
Christina Bennett,
christina.bennett@priceline.com
Stephanie Perry,
priceline@mbooth.com
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SOURCE Priceline