From solo trips to group travel: how fear and perceived threats shaped travel intentions

What is it about?

During the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, reliable information about the virus made people see it as more dangerous and feel more at risk themselves. This increased their fear of catching COVID-19. We surveyed over 1,000 Americans in May 2020, right as travel restrictions began to ease. The results showed that higher fear strongly reduced people's plans to travel in groups (with family, friends, or others), because being close to people felt riskier. However, fear did not affect plans to travel alone. Solo travel stayed appealing, likely because people felt they could control their own safety, keep distance, and avoid crowds more easily. This research helps explain why some types of travel bounced back faster after lockdowns and offers useful tips for tourism businesses on how to support cautious travelers during health crises.

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