Thanks to all who participated in my latest Weekend Poll.  This weekend’s question:

Will you travel and explore the globe this year?

97% of you are planning to travel this year, with 86% planning personal journeys  It turns out that, while personal travel isn’t in the cards for some respondents this year, 86% are planning personal journeys. Another 11% of you will be packing your luggage for business/conference purposes, which can also be fulfilling.

Enjoying both domestic and international travel  While 11% of respondents will travel solely domestically in 2017, 22% of you plan to focus solely on international travel. 67% of you plan to travel both domestically and internationally this year.

Weather, art, culture and opportunities to relax  These are the top factors in respondents’ decisions on which locales they’ll visit … followed by opportunities for professional development.

Investing in experiences  While 27% of respondents reported budgeting between $2,501 and $5,000 for this year’s travel, more than half of you are planning to spend more than $5,000 on your 2017 travel. 23% of respondents are planning to spend more than $10,000 on this year’s travel.

Reviews from trusted sources influence your travel planning  54% of respondents reported that it’s reviews from trusted sources that most influence your travel planning. Next up, and also significantly ahead of advertising? 39% of you said that recommendations from friends, family and peers have the greatest influence.

A well travelled group  28% of you have visited between six and 10 countries to date, while 48% of respondents have visited between 11 and 20 countries to this point in time. A full 16% of you have already visited 21 or more countries!

Read on to see what your peers have to say; perhaps you may cross paths with your fellow readers this year. You may also pick up ideas for locales you’d not heard of or considered until now!

THE DATA

86% of respondents reported that they’re planning personal travel in 2017, up from just shy of 80% in 2016

• 71.5% of respondents reported that they’ve already travelled or made plans for personal travel this year – which is up from 61% last year
• 14% reported that they’ve not yet made travel plans for this year, but that they will
• 11% reported that, while they’ve not made plans for personal travel this year, they will be travelling for business or conference purposes
• 3.5% reported that they’ve not made any such plans

A high percentage of respondents will be travelling near and far

• 67% of respondents reported that they will travel both domestically and internationally, up from 53% in 2016
• 11% reported that they will travel solely domestically, unchanged from last year
• 22% reported that they will travel solely internationally, up from 12% last year

Weather and opportunities to relax topped respondents’ list of single factors that most influence their destination choices

• Climate, weather: 25% of respondents (compared to 28% last year)
• Art, culture: 18.5%, up from 5.5% in 2016
• Relaxation – capacity to decompress in such locales: 18.5% of respondents, down from 28% last year
• Professional development – conference, networking opportunities: 12%, compared to 11% last year
• Adventure: 10% of respondents, compared to 11% last year
• Sense of safety: 6%, up from 0% last year
• Family/friends: 4% of respondents, down from 11% last year
• Travel logistics – 2%, down from 5.5% last year
• 4% of respondents selected “Other”.  Comments included seeing sights people have always wanted to see, and “Bucket list!”

Here’s a look at household spending respondents reported for their 2016 travel, with costs identified in US dollars

• $0: 0% of respondents, compared to 6% of you in 2016
• Less than $1,000: 11% of respondents, compared to 0% in 2016
• $1,000 – $2,500: 11% of respondents, compared to 19% of you in 2016
• $2,500 – $5,000: 46% of respondents, compared to 25% of you in 2016
• $5,000 – $10,000: 11% of respondents, compared to 18.5% of you in 2016
• $10,000 – $15,000: 14% of respondents, compared to 18.5% of you in 2016
• $15,000 – $20,000: 3.5% of respondents, compared to 13% of you in 2016
• More than $20,000 US: 3.5% of respondents, compared to 0% in 2016

… and here’s a look at respondents’ 2017 travel budgets

• $0: 0% of respondents, the same percentage as predicted this time last year for 2016 travel
• Less than $1,000: 8% of respondents, compared to 0% for last year’s projections
• $1,000 – $2,500: 11% of respondents, compared to 18% for last year’s projections
• $2,500 – $5,000: 27% of respondents, compared to 38% for last year’s projections
• $5,000 – $10,000: 31% of respondents, compared to 13% for last year’s projections
• $10,000 – $15,000: 19% of respondents, compared to 6% for last year’s projections
• $15,000 – $20,000: 4% of respondents, compared to 25% for last year’s projections

Reviews from a trusted source have the most influence readers’ travel planning 

• Reviews from a trusted source: 54% of respondents, compared to 65% of you in 2016
• Recommendations from friends, family, peers: 39% of respondents, compared to 29% of you in 2016
• Advertising, promotion: 4% of respondents, compared to 6% of you in 2016
• 4% selected “Other”, and comments indicated that visiting a locale for the first time was the most influential consideration

How many different countries have you visited to date?

• 2 – 5 countries: 8% of respondents
• 6 – 10 countries: 28% of respondents
• 11 – 15 countries: 24% of respondents
• 16 – 20 countries: 24% of respondents
• 21 – 25 countries: 8% of respondents
• 25 – 30 countries: 4% of respondents
• 31 – 50 countries: 4% of respondents

Where do your peers report they’re planning to travel this year? Check out this list.

• Arizona
• Armenia (“perhaps”)
• Barcelona
• Beijing
• Belize
• California
• Canada
• Cuba
• Dubai
• England
• France
• Germany
• Glastonbury
• Greece
• Iceland
• Ireland (Republic of)
• Italy
• Japan
• Jersey
• Kenya
• Lanzarote
• Las Vegas
• Lithuania
• London
• Luxembourg
• Malaysia
• Malta
• Mexico
• Michigan
• Netherlands
• New Orleans (“NOLA for IAAP’s Summit 2017”)
• New York
• Northern Ireland
• Norway
• Oregon
• Paris
• Portugal
• Prague
• Qatar
• Scotland
• Singapore
• South America
• Spain
• Toronto
• UK
• Vienna
• USA
• Wakefield
• Washington, DC
• “We have a family home that we now own that we can enjoy any time we want”
• “TBC!”

What locales are on respondents’ wish list? Have a look at the spots people said they’d visit if time and money were no object.

• Alaska
• Antarctica
• Australia
• Bahamas
• Baltics
• Canada
• Caribbean
• China
• Cook Islands
• Cuba
• Dubai
• France (including “southern France”)
• Hong Kong
• Italy
• Kaliningrad District
• Japan
• Las Vegas
• London
• Maldives
• New Zealand
• Paris
• Phillipines
• Rome
• Russia
• Scandinavia
• Shanghai
• Singapore
• South Africa
• South Pacific
• Thailand
• United Kingdom (UK)
• USA (including “road trip across USA”)
• Venice