Report finds that workplace flexibility is helping Americans take longer trips this holiday season
The Americans are determined to do so He travels this vacation Season – some solutions help them make those trips.
The ability to a job remote This is a great step when planning your itineraries.
About 49% of working travelers are “laptop users” — those who plan to work at some point during their vacation — compared to 34% last year. According to In a Deloitte holiday travel survey.
This flexibility allows workers to take trips they couldn’t otherwise take, or extend their trips longer, according to the survey.
While there are more laptop owners across most age groups and income levels, Generation Z, which Deloitte defines as those born between 1997 and 2012, and high-income earners make up the highest shares, at 58% and 52%, respectively, according to To wipe. .
Deloitte surveyed 4,074 American adults in September. Among this group, 2,005 holiday travelers were identified.
The change in laptop hardware is a “pretty high jump.” “It’s across almost all income levels and age groups,” said Eileen Crowley, vice president and head of U.S. transportation, hospitality and services at Deloitte.
Since the pandemic, remote work has become a priority for job seekers, said Julia Pollack, chief economist at ZipRecruiter.
In the third quarter, 51% of job seekers surveyed said the ability to work from anywhere they want was the main reason for remote jobs, up from 40.8% in the first quarter of 2022, according to ZipRecruiter data.
“The value of the ability to work from anywhere for American workers has clearly increased over the course of this great remote work experience,” she said.
Experts said that in addition to working during their trip, travelers are coming up with other solutions such as driving instead of flying or cutting other expenses.
“People are willing to cut back on expenses to save money, but they don’t want to miss the trip entirely,” said Ted Rossman, industry analyst at Bankrate.
Who is spending on holiday travel this year?
Experts say high-income earners are driving holiday travel trends and spending this year.
When it comes to vacation travel, 52% of shoppers with incomes of $100,000 or more said they could “easily afford” these expenses. According to For Morning Consult, a survey research firm. This is the highest percentage compared to middle and low income groups.
“High-income consumers are not nearly as price sensitive,” Stacy Francis, president and CEO of Francis Financial, a wealth management, financial planning and divorce planning firm in New York City, said. He said recently CNBC.
“They’re not as budget conscious as lower-wage people,” CNBC’s Francis said. Financial Advisory Board.
Among generational groups, millennials, or those born between 1980 and 1996, have the highest budgets and the longest planned travel. According to the report, Millennials plan to take about 2.6 trips over the course of the holiday season and spend an average of $3,927, according to the Deloitte survey.
What makes holiday travel possible this year?
More than 4 in 5 holiday travelers, 83%, are finding ways to save money this holiday season, such as driving instead of flying, According to To Bankrate.
“Most of these people are still traveling, but they’re doing it differently to cut some costs,” Rossman said.
Separately, about 50% of respondents cut back on other expenses and 49% got discounts and deals, According to To the 2024 holiday travel forecasts from travel site Hopper.
Among other strategies, 22% plan to travel on off-peak days, and 21% use credit card points or miles to cover some of the cost, the Hopper report found.
If you plan to pull out your laptop and work while on holiday leave, be sure to check your company’s rules about remote work, Pollack said. Some companies require their employees to work from home, from within the company’s home state or from within the United States unless otherwise stated.
“You risk having your access closed, being penalized, or even having your employment terminated if you try to work from somewhere else,” Pollack said.
Reach out to your boss or manager about the idea, too: “Some managers only care about getting the job done and don’t care how,” she said.
Finally, you want to make sure that the location you plan to work at has a strong electrical network or service and that the Wi-Fi is reliable.
“If you’re in a pinch because of work, make sure you’re in a place where you can get it done,” Pollack said.
Spending on experiences like travel and concerts has soared after pandemic-era lockdowns and restrictions due to pent-up demand from Americans, experts say.
However, even after several years, travel “seems to be something that has stuck,” said Deloitte’s Crowley: “People are placing value and making room in their budgets for travel.”