Summer Travel Is Back In A Big Way

A curated collection of can’t-miss news from this week, including 2021 summer travel trends and more. Sign up to get the TURNER Weekly Download in your inbox.

Summer Travel Is Back

After a devastatingly slow season last year, Americans are ready to travel again this summer. According to a new Harris Poll survey, more than three-quarters of Americans (77 percent) plan to take a trip this summer. With vaccines becoming more available, that number is rising daily. “The strong number represents a stark one-year turnaround,” writes Hotel Business. “[A] similar Harris Poll conducted in June 2020 found that just 29% of Americans planned summer leisure travel amid the grip of the COVID pandemic.”

Still Masking Up

You’ve seen that the CDC has lifted mask mandates for the summer travel season. But things are not quite back to pre-pandemic normalcy. For one thing, masks are still required for fully vaccinated passengers on planes. “It's basically to protect people who are either unvaccinated or vaccinated but for some reason they didn't get an adequate immune response to the vaccine — for example, somebody who's immunocompromised,” explains CBS News chief medical correspondent Dr. Jon LaPook. “In that scenario, if you're inside of a plane and people aren't wearing masks, if somebody doesn't wear a mask and they're infected, they pose a danger to other people.”

Defining Trends

Some things are going back to normal. Some things are not. TravelPulse takes a look at the 10 trends that will define the 2021 summer travel season. One trend that remains in place from last year is the road trip. “With varied rules for travel by air and different testing protocols for leaving the country and returning again, many will take the easy route and go by car, especially families who have children that aren’t yet vaccinated.”

Uncertain Times

If the last year has taught us anything, it’s that travelers have to be prepared for the unexpected. “Quandaries are prompting travelers to make adjustments, from being over-packed with snacks to paying bribes, and to dive deep into the dual reservoirs of patience and flexibility,” writes the New York Times’ Julie Besonen.“Travel agents, hotels and other industry operators, building on what worked last year and recalling what failed, have also become wiser to coronavirus-induced obstacles and opportunities, prioritizing outdoor activities, coping with reduced capacity and promoting alternative, less congested retreats.”

Weekly Moment of Zen

Meet The Athleisure Trends Of Summer 2021