According to a survey published Wednesday by Visit Santa Cruz County (VSCC), the county’s tourism hotspots – along with its restaurants and hotels – can see a slight spike in business this summer for Californians looking to take short road trips expect.

That forecast is compared to 2019, not last year – as that Covid-19 pandemic the tourism industry almost decimated.

But now, with a year of crisis in the rearview mirror and an increasing number of people having theirs VaccinationsThe survey found that tourists, most of whom are just a short drive from Santa Cruz County, feel better about planning their vacation.

According to the survey, the majority of visitors will come by car. Crowded indoor activities are likely to be less popular as half of travelers want to avoid the crowds.

The study results include data such as visitor demographics and the preferences and opinions of travelers in the area.

This visitor survey is the first of its kind from VSCC. It was created after VSCC sent invitations to 60,000 newsletter subscribers and received responses from 4,501.

“The results of the research study are encouraging,” said Maggie Ivy, CEO of VSCC. “We are very encouraged by the results, which indicates that our likely customers are ready to travel again.”

According to the survey, 61% of those surveyed at VSCC’s Primary Drive Market (PDM) – defined as a 200 mile radius from Santa Cruz – have positive feelings about traveling, while 16% have specific travel plans.

Monterey, National and State Parks, San Francisco, Napa, and Lake Tahoe are all competitors in Santa Cruz ‘PDM.

The results also show that travelers are ready to take overnight trips and that most of the county’s residents are ready to welcome visitors.

Older travelers need more safety insurance than younger travelers, the survey shows.

While many potential travelers plan to have their vaccines before they travel, few plan to vaccinate their children.

Respondents also said they want to see clear and obvious signs that restaurant and hotel staff are taking precautions for Covid-19 seriously. This includes cleaning staff who continuously mend and disinfect public surfaces with high contact, safety instructions, the wearing of masks and social distancing.

For more information, contact VSCC at 831-425-1234 or Visitsantacruzcounty.org. To see the survey, visit bit.ly/3ttH26Q.

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