Where are people traveling this summer? Google Trends offers clues

Travel experts offer advice on finding rental cars this summer

Travel experts say even if you can find a rental car, you might end up paying 10 times the normal amount as rental car companies struggle to increase their inventory — but there are ways to find a cheaper ride.

LOS ANGELES - As the U.S. economy starts to open back up, interest in travel has boomed — and Google Trends is providing some clues as to what many people are looking for in a vacation destination this summer.

‘Can I travel’ search jumps 800%

Internet searches for "can I travel" have jumped more than 800%, and those for "hotel booking app" have risen by more than 100%, the company wrote in its consumer insight report published earlier this month

Google said the increase in key global searches affirms the peak interest in travel.

People want travel to offer more options

Fifty-seven percent of people are looking to travel when the coronavirus pandemic is over. Meanwhile, the same percentage of people expect bookings to be more flexible.

CDC greenlights domestic travel for fully vaccinated people

The new guidelines say vaccinated travelers are less likely to get and spread the virus, but the CDC still recommends safety measures like wearing a mask, social distancing and hand washing.

"Flexibility drives decision making. To fully embrace travel in a post-pandemic world, people are relying on brands to provide flexible booking, changes and cancellation options," Google wrote.

Millennials and Gen Z most eager to travel again

According to the report, the Millennial and Gen Z generations are most eager to travel again, as "these adventurous types consider travel to be vital."

"Next-Gen consists of 151 million millennials and Gen Zers with $350 billion in spending power in the U.S.," the report stated. "To put that into perspective, more than half of Americans are Millennials or younger."

Where people want to travel

While the report did not explicitly say where people would be traveling, it’s clear that younger generations are looking for a place that can have equal parts relaxation and adventure, while also being budget-friendly.

52% of next-gen audiences resonated with the travel brand messaging "escape and relax" 38% with "budget-friendly" and 38% with adventurous.

Meanwhile, all generations are looking for travel destinations that are relaxing and stress-free, while also being a new experience.

51% of all generations resonated with "relaxing," 40% with "new to me" and 41% with "stress free."