Survey: 31% of Americans Plan to Take a Summer Road Trip Amid Coronavirus Pandemic

A report published by travel app GasBuddy shows that 31 percent of Americans plan to take a road trip this summer, down 44 percent from last year.

GasBuddy is a “travel and navigation app that is used by more North American drivers to save money on gas than any other.”

Its report entitled “In Midst of COVID-19, Nearly a Third of Americans Plan to Take At Least One Summer Road Trip, According to GasBuddy’s Annual Summer Travel Study” shows that among the 31 percent, 60 percent plan to visit friends and family, 38 percent plan to go to a beach or lake, and 24 percent plan to visit a National Park.

Meanwhile, “while 18% definitively said there will be no road trips, 51% still have not made a decision,” said the report.

“We are starting to see a rebound in fuel demand from our Pay with GasBuddy program since mid-April,” said Sarah McCrary, CEO of GasBuddy. “There could be a surge in last-minute, shorter road trips in the second half of summer as people continue to access the situation.”

The report also shows that 72 percent said that COVID-19 has directly impacted their summer travel plans: taking fewer road trips than previously planned (48%), canceling trips that require flying (36%), and making shorter trips (24%).

According to the report, one of the factors that affect their decisions is the price of gas. This comes as the national average currently sits more than $1 per gallon cheaper than last year. Thirty-six percent of those who plan to hit the road said the low prices play a role in their travel decision.

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