When asked how they would describe their enthusiasm for travel in 2023, 32% of Americans and 28% of Canadians indicated that they were really excited to travel. When combined with the those who said they were happy to travel this year, we can observe that 3 in 4 North Americans are looking forward to traveling in 2023 and there are plenty of reasons to be excited. 2023 will see the first COVID-19 regulation-free summer holiday season since 2019 and like the rest of the world, many North Americans are ready to make up for holidays that were canceled and postponed during the years of the pandemic.
Around a quarter of respondents did not want to or care to travel, but the same IPSOS Holiday Barometer report offers some explanation for this. Over 60% of the North American respondents said that inflation had a negative impact on their desire to travel this year. Moreover, COVID-19 lingers in the memories of many travelers, causing them to exercise caution when choosing activities and travel destinations that were considered to be 'high risk' at the height of the pandemic, such as overseas trips, cruises, and crowded locations.
