Author: Nick Arias, Research & Insights Assistant, RAB
No matter the season, Americans tend to plan their future travel time throughout the course of the year. The idea of being on the beach, visiting new places and being out of the house is what excites all travelers the most.
According to the IPX1031 “Travel Outlook 2025” study, 92% of Americans plan to travel in 2025. Eighty-six percent of Americans plan to travel out of state, while 50% plan to travel internationally. The top three reasons why people plan to travel this year are to either relax, for adventure or to visit family. And many want to extend that vacation.
Fifty-seven percent of Americans plan to take a longer trip/vacation this year than they did in 2024, per the study. The top three reasons for these extended trips are: 1) to make up for missed travel in previous years, 2) have more vacation time available to them or 3) they desire an immersive travel experience.
Budgets will impact travel plans. The average travel budget for 2025 is $10,244, up from $5,300 in 2024, according to the Travel Outlook 2025 study. Yet, despite budgets, affordability is the ultimate deciding factor. Sightseeing pass business company, Go City, reported in their “Trip Planning Consumer Survey” that 51% of travelers prioritize a destination based on how affordable it is. The most amount of money spent on a domestic trip was $898.80 for accommodations, while international trips was just slightly higher ($953.40).
Travel doesn’t always require gate checks and boarding passes. With school breaks, graduations and summer right around the corner, road trips will be an option, and one many plan to choose. There’s no better entertainment option while on the road than radio, and it’s the most used audio source in the car, according to Edison Research.
Broadcast radio can be a driver’s companion on the road. The radio “dial” offers entertainment options from news, to music, to sports and talk. And today’s technology allows riders to tune into their favorite home AM/FM stations via a stream, app through the dash or via a mobile device. According to MRI-Simmons, 62% of those who’ve used a rental car on a domestic trip listen to the radio and 61% who’ve used their personal vehicle on a domestic trip tune in. While in the car, advertisers can take the opportunity to connect and reach a captive and engaged audience.
Broadcast radio listening travelers see the emotional benefit of the medium. Forty-six consider radio as a form of pure entertainment and relaxation (44%), while one-third believe it is a great escape, per MRI-Simmons. Forty-seven percent believe that radio puts them in a good mood.
Hospitality and travel advertisers can also benefit by using broadcast radio as a means to connect with potential guests. Eight in 10 radio listeners love researching a location before they go on vacation. MRI-Simmons data also finds that 76% of radio listeners prefer to travel places they’ve never been.
Additional data on radio listeners shows that:
- 69% will return to a favored vacation spot.
- 68% like to be spontaneous when traveling.
Advertisers in the hospitality and travel segments should include mentions of available resources as well as the possibility of new travel adventures as part of their radio creative messaging. Tapping into audio’s strengths can help promote the allure of travel – sounds of beach waves, laughter or water splashing are just a few examples that will quickly create vacation imagery.
Getaways and vacations shouldn’t be stressful. Broadcast radio, with its ability to entertain and relax, is the perfect medium to promote travel destinations. Radio can be an advertiser’s destination to help reach and inform potential travel patrons.