Editor's Note: Below is a complimentary excerpt from a recent institutional research note written on by our Gaming, Lodging, and Leisure (GLL) analyst Todd JordanIf you are an institutional investor interested in accessing our research email sales@hedgeye.com

Leisure Travel Is Becoming Increasingly Shorter And Localized  - 9 11 2020 11 37 36 AM

There’s no denying that travel this year is different and should likely remain different for the next 6 months at least.  Vacationers are traveling shorter distances, and staying local.

Staycations in their own towns, remote work Airbnb’s, quick weekend resort trips, etc. all of those have been the trend.  Based on some insights from Longwoods Intl, it looks like these trends are only strengthening of late. 

Travelers are changing international plans for domestic trips (fair since most US citizens are limited to few countries), and travelers are also more willing to alter itineraries to drive vs fly. 

These trends and changes will likely reverse at some point, but for now, they’re just part of the equation that hotel owners, brands, and OTAs will have to navigate. 

From our vantage point, we think OTAs should serve these trends most adequately given the unique breadth of inventory (traditional, non-traditional, experiences, etc.) all available on their platforms.   

Leisure Travel Is Becoming Increasingly Shorter And Localized  - 9 11 2020 9 43 08 AM

Chart from Longwoods International: Miles Partnership (Travel Sentiment Study Wave 19)