Unfriendly Skies Mean More Consumers Hit the Road for Vacation

Summer is heating up, and consumers across the country are seeking much-needed getaways after battling the year’s inflationary headwinds. The trend is illustrated in PYMNTS’ May “How the World Does Digital” report, which notes the top 10 increases in digital engagement over Q1 2023 from the same period the previous year.

With two of these 10 activities involving travel, including airfare taking the top slot with a 14% share, it seems consumers have getting away from it all on their minds. Indeed, previous PYMNTS research finds that leisure travel is one of the last discretionary purchases consumers are loathe to give up in the ongoing battle to combat inflation. This search for escape is partially why spending on experiences, such as lodging and travel, has seen double-digit growth in 2023.

With ticket prices soaring and budget airlines’ route experimentation leaving some travelers scrambling to find substitute flights, it may be easy to see why some consumers may be put off by air travel and seeking more stress-free alternatives.

For certain folk, that means loading up for an old-fashioned road trip.

In an interview with PYMNTS, Co-founder and Chief Marketing Officer Jennifer Young of digital RV marketplace Outdoorsy discusses the surge of customers seeking vacations that involve taking to the open road.

“When we look at summer 2023 against 2022, which was a record summer for us, we’re currently outpacing it. Overall, revenue is up, and bookings are up. The growth is fueled by our first-time bookings, as 76% of all Outdoorsy bookings are now first-time bookers.”

Young also noted that Outdoorsy has benefited from the “bleisure travel” fad, combining business with leisure vacations, as some consumers may not be able to totally get away from it all even when going away.

“We’re starting to see a lot of people that are booking trips in nonweekend periods of time. They’re booking a trip on Thursday, Friday, and the inference is for work, and then enjoying that weekend in a new location and getting a little bit of leisure and vacation time in the same week.”

Exotic getaways have enduring appeal, but for consumers seeking simpler holiday travel, some are embracing the independence of the open road.