GetYourGuide.com Study Reveals Strong Desire for Experiences as Gifts, and Major Plans for Holiday Travel

NEW YORK, Dec. 7, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- GetYourGuide.com, a leading travel booking platform, is releasing a new studyⁱ that reveals Americans are making up for last year with more travel and experiences planned for the remainder of 2021 and early 2022. People are making travel and gifting arrangements earlier this year, as they face steep travel costs and shipping delays for wish list items. However, both men and women agree that experiences are the preferred gifts this holiday season. Bonus - there's no need to stress about backordered items or supply chain holdups when gifting unforgettable experiences.

"Spending time together is the most valuable gift you can give someone, and as it turns out, exactly what many Americans are hoping to receive this holiday season," says Jean-Gabriel Duveau, GetYourGuide VP of Brand and Strategic Partnerships. "As shipping delays and supply chain issues interrupt the arrival of physical gifts, digital gifting options like GetYourGuide travel experiences are the perfect solution to gift unique excursions and create lasting memories. GetYourGuide has thousands of experiences in cities around the world uniquely suited for anyone on your list – from the foodie to the thrill seeker, the history buff, the outdoor adventurer and more – no matter where they're headed." 

Below are key findings from GetYourGuide.com's holiday survey and insights around what to expect for the upcoming holiday season and into early 2022.

As Shipping Delays Threaten Holiday Gifting, Consumers Opt for Experiences Instead
Industry experts have been warning that shipping delays and supply chain challenges may impact holiday shopping. Consumers are planning their gifting strategies earlier than ever and are already feeling the impact of shipping and supply obstacles.

• Shoppers' major gifting concerns this year include shipping delays (59%), out of stock items (54%), and shipping costs (46%).
• Shipping delays aside, 62% of respondents prefer experiences over physical items when it comes to gifting. Gift givers can wow everyone on their list this year by helping them explore new places in a whole new way with unforgettable experiences from GetYourGuide.com such as a Hill Country BBQ & Wine Shuttle in Austin, Sunset Cruise through Biscayne Bay and South Beach in Miami, Vancouver and Capilano Suspension Bridge Canyon Lights, or Historic Pub Crawl Tour along the Freedom Trail in Boston.
• Just about half (49%) of all respondents shared items on their wish list are already out of stock or backordered as of early November. As a result, consumers are looking for alternatives, preferably digital options that don't rely on shipping or supply chain.
• Nearly one-third of respondents (30%) find their partner or spouse the hardest person to shop for during the holidays.

Gifts for Him and Gifts for Her – The Most Wanted Gift is an Experience
When looking at how men and women approach gifting, the survey revealed both groups prefer experiences, with the most popular experiences being travel-related. The best gift-givers this season are giving the gift of unforgettable memories.

How Men Feel This Holiday Season

• More than half of male respondents (60%) prefer experiences as gifts over physical items. Also, 68% of men said physical items on their wish lists are already out of stock.
• Men find the following experiences to be the best gifts: outdoor adventures (50%), food or culinary tours (44%), and water activities (42%). For those stuck on what to buy, GetYourGuide.com offers a Kayak and Paddleboard Tour with Sea Lions in Marina Del Rey, Pizza Tasting Tour in New York City, Rocky Mountain Half-Day Explorer Trip in Denver, 7-Day Yellowstone National Park Rocky Mountain Explorer and more.

What Women Want This Year: 

• Nearly two-thirds of female respondents (64%) prefer experiences as gifts over physical items, and 35% of women said physical items on their wish lists are already out of stock.
• In place of out-of-stock items, women find the following experiences to be the best gifts: outdoor adventures (35%), food or culinary tours (34%), wine or beer tastings (32%). When looking for an experience to gift this year, shoppers can look to GetYourGuide.com, which offers a Guided Wine Tour with Picnic Lunch in Napa Valley, Private Bryce Canyon National Park Tour in Salt Lake City, Pike Place Market Chef-Guided Food Tour in Seattle, Martha's Vineyard Day Trip and more.

Home for the Holidays – Americans Are Making Up for Missed Holidays and Booking Travel Early
Last year, more than half of those surveyed (52%) were unable to travel home for the holidays – likely due to pandemic travel restrictions and safety guidelines. Now, with the vaccine and travel restrictions having eased up, many are eager to make it home for the holidays this year.

• More than half of respondents (58%) have already booked their holiday travel.
• Of those that have already made their travel arrangements, 42% booked within the last month and one third (33%) booked more than three months ago.
• According to internal data from GetYourGuide.com, in 2021 Americans were booking excursions on average 58 days in advance of their holiday travel date, in comparison to 2019 when they were booking on average 15 days prior to their holiday travel date (December 1 - January 1). 
• Travelers continue to closely watch COVID-19 numbers with a majority of respondents (81%) willing to change their travel plans based on safety guidelines and recommendations. In fact, nearly two-thirds (64%) have a backup plan in the event their holiday plans get cancelled due to COVID-19.
• For those that are travelling this holiday season, 41% are staying within the state.

Winter Travel Trends – Planning Is Underway as Travelers Book Winter 2022 Getaways
Travelers are wasting no time, and already beginning to plan their winter trips - and not just for the holidays. While most are planning to escape the dropping temperatures this season, some will be looking to embrace the cold.

• Outside of the holidays, 60% of respondents are already planning trips for the winter season.
• Top locations Americans are looking to visit this winter include Canada, Florida, California, New York and Texas. 
• According to GetYourGuide.com's internal data, the top five locations currently being booked by Americans include New York, Paris, Hawaii, Dubai and Rome. 
• International travel is ramping back up, yet 36% of people are planning to stay within the U.S. this winter, sticking to domestic flights.
• Consumers are budgeting for travel in the new year, with 24% of respondents planning to spend less $1,000 on travel and 26% planning to spend between $1,000 - $3,000 on travel in 2022.

With GetYourGuide.com, travelers in the U.S. are able to maximize each trip with a wide selection of experiences vetted by local experts. The platform provides access to the world's most sought after and one of a kind travel experiences, including tickets to awe-inspiring attractions, exclusive discovery tours, exhilarating outdoor activities, local food immersions, and more. For more information, and to give your loved ones the gift of unforgettable travel experiences this holiday season, please visit https://www.getyourguide.com/giftcard

About GetYourGuide.com
GetYourGuide.com is the booking platform for unforgettable travel experiences. Travelers use GetYourGuide.com to discover the best things to do in a destination — including walking tours by top local experts, local culinary tours, cooking and craft classes, skip-the-line tickets to the world's most iconic attractions, bucket-list experiences and niche offerings you won't find anywhere else. Since its founding in 2009, travelers from over 170 countries have booked more than 45 million tours, activities and attraction tickets through GetYourGuide.com. Powered by a global team of over 550 travel experts and technologists, the company is headquartered in Berlin, Germany and has offices in 15 countries around the world.

ⁱ Study conducted on over 1,000 Americans, between the ages of 16 and 56 during the month of November 2021

SOURCE GetYourGuide