MorningConsult: Summer Looks Bright for Domestic Travel. Here’s How Americans Are Planning Their Vacations
Morning Consult
By Alyssa Meyers
May 24, 2021
With group travel still lagging, buses, which are especially popular among groups of international travelers touring up and down the coasts, are not doing business anywhere near the levels they were in 2019, said Peter Pantuso, president and CEO of the American Bus Association.
Some bus companies in the middle of the country have booked about 50 percent of their 2019 capacity, Pantuso said, but for city pairs — the popular trips to and from East Coast cities such as Washington, New York and Boston — bookings are at no more than 30 percent of what they were two years ago. For this industry, a rebound isn’t likely until 2022 at least, he said, but booms in other segments still make for good news.
“For people to travel, there’s got to be somewhere to go, other than just taking a bus ride,” Pantuso said. “Cities reopening will help with both group travel on charter buses and scheduled bus services for individuals.”