The numbers tell the story, at least for travel.
A closer look at the statistics reveals a huge surge in domestic travel due to vaccinations and the expectation of a crowded summer travel season, with ticket prices already approaching expensive summer 2019. But in many areas – international travel and hotel occupancy in many cities – recovery has not yet taken place.
Here are some bright spots as well as remaining areas to be concerned about.
-35% or + 715%
Make your choice. TSA airport screenings in the first 16 days of May are down 35% compared to the number of people at airports in 2019 – or 715% more than on the same days in May last year. In either case, you can use these numbers to measure progress.
Since international travel is still so restricted (although the European Union took a step towards open its borders to vaccinated tourists) and business trips only a Fraction of what it used to be, you won’t get anywhere near a full restoration in 2019. And yet, without just declining 35% without these two huge travel components, shows just how strong the surge in domestic travel is now that more people are vaccinated.
