A new survey from insurtech pioneer VisitorsCoverage finds purchasing travel insurance is a top priority for most travelers, and wanderlusters are feeling bullish when it comes to planning domestic and international travel. The survey results included the opinions of a random sample of over 1,000 frequent travelers across the U.S., all of whom travel more than twice a year.

Highlights include:

• 79% of travelers are more inclined to buy insurance in 2023 than in recent years, up from 50% in previous years.

• 82% of respondents find trip inspiration on Facebook, while 77% use Instagram and 61% tune into TikTok

• The top two concerns among summer travelers are the economy and inflation (29%) and flight delays (22%) 

General Sentiment on Travel Insurance
Travel insurance continues to be top of mind for travelers with 79% of survey respondents reporting they were planning to purchase trip protection when booking their 2023 travel.

What Travelers Are Missing and Being Inspired By
Though travelers are receiving more and more perks from airlines and at airports, the survey results showed that what respondents are truly missing are complimentary meals on planes (42%), with a free carry-on ranking second (25%) and in-flight entertainment that doesn't require a phone or laptop close behind (24%).

Polling consumers on where they find inspiration for their upcoming trips, the survey revealed several popular sources for motivation: Friends and family (76%), social media (71%) and TV, mainly documentaries, (56%). For social media, three platforms reign supreme – 82% of respondents are influenced by Facebook, 77% by Instagram and 61% by TikTok, where there is continued dominance in search and consumer habits.

Where and How Consumers Plan to Travel in 2023
The results confirmed that "revenge travel" is still surging with 43% of participants saying that they will take over five trips in 2023 and another 43% saying they will take between three to four trips. When picking a destination, travelers agree that affordability is top of mind, with wellness ranking as the second priority with food/culture following very close behind. Sustainability also continues to be a top factor for travelers with 75% of respondents saying it's "very important" in the process of making travel decisions.

Travelers are feeling much more comfortable jaunting across the world. 88% confirmed they will be traveling for pleasure while nearly 70% confirmed that they will be traveling both domestically and internationally this year. Domestic travel leads the poll while international destinations in Europe are the most popular (55%). Australia ranks as the second most popular international destination (35%) and South America follows as the third most preferred (30%).                                       

How Travelers Plan to Get Around
For 2023, air travel continues to be the favored mode of transportation with 84% planning to fly to their destinations for at least one of their planned trips, while 48% are looking forward to cruising.

Top 2023 Travel Concerns
When asked about summer travel concerns, the top two issues cited were "the economy/inflation" (29%) and "flight delays" (22%). Other concerns include "fear of the unknown" (16%), "risk of illness" (15%), "inclement weather" (15%) and "baggage nightmare scenarios" (2%). 

"Travelers are now more aware of unforeseen circumstances that can affect their travel plans, and they are eager to take precautions to protect their investment," states VisitorsCoverage CEO Rajeev Shrivastava.