From Solo Travel to ‘Pay-Cations,’ Young Americans Lead 2023 Travel Trends with Wellness at the Forefront

Richmond, Virginia, July 5, 2023 Allianz Partners USA, the travel insurance and assistance company known for popularizing the term “ micro-cation” in 2019 has identified yet another travel trend making waves amongst Americans. Allianz Partners’ 15th Annual Vacation Confidence Index* has revealed that around three in 10 Americans will choose to work remotely from a vacation destination in 2023, an intentional move that goes beyond “bleisure” travel that blends working time with vacation.

The new work-from-a-vacation-destination travel trend, which Allianz Partners is calling a ‘pay-cation,’ has been encouraged by flexible remote work policies developed during the pandemic and is especially popular among young working Americans. The survey found that respondents in the 18 to 34-year-old demographic are more likely (42%) to travel to a vacation destination to work remotely, compared to 26% of those ages 35 to 54 years old and 12% who are 55 years and older.

In other survey findings, travelers are putting themselves and their mental wellbeing first in 2023, another trend led by young Americans. Among all survey respondents, two in five (39%) say that wellness and self-care are a priority for travel this year, including a majority (54%) of those ages 18 to 34 who mark it top of mind.

“Younger Americans who spent the early years of their career during the work-from-home era in the pandemic are re-shaping our preferences for the way we work and travel,” said Daniel Durazo, director of external communications at Allianz Partners USA. “While some companies have already returned to in-person work, our findings clearly show that a healthy balance of work and play is here to stay, and prioritizing self-care is going to impact the way Americans view travel and time off the clock.”

Link to download infographic: HERE. 

Not only are younger Americans committing to wellness and self-care, they also are more likely to engage in a solo travel experience this year versus older generations. Two in five (42%) of them will embark on a trip alone this year, compared to almost one in three (31%) of 35- to 54- year-olds and seventeen percent (17%) of ages 55 and older.

But solo travel doesn’t always have to equal alone time. Emotional well-being also extends to the inclusion of companion animals on trips, with four in ten (41%) of 18–34-year-olds opting to include their pets on vacations, compared to 36% of 34- to 54-year-olds and 20% of travelers aged 55 and older who want to bring a pet along on their travels.

Link to download infographic: HERE.

The Vacation Confidence Index has been conducted each summer since 2009 by national polling firm Ipsos Public Affairs on behalf of Allianz Partners USA. A vacation is defined as leisure travel of at least a week to a destination at least 100 miles from home.

Allianz Partners offers travel insurance through most major U.S. airlines, leading travel agents, online travel agencies, hotel companies, cruise lines and directly to consumers. For more information on Allianz Partners and available travel policies, please visit http://www.allianztravelinsurance.com

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*Methodology: These are the findings of an Ipsos poll conducted on behalf of Allianz Partners. For this survey, a sample of 2,010 Americans aged 18+ was interviewed from May 2 to 4, 2023 via the Ipsos Online Omnibus. The precision of Ipsos online polls is measured using a credibility interval. In this case, the results are accurate to within +/- 2.5 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, of what the results would have been had all American adults been polled. Quota sampling and weighting were employed in order to balance demographics and ensure that the sample’s composition reflects that of the actual U.S. population, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Credibility intervals are wider among subsets of the population.

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About Allianz Partners
In the United States, Allianz Partners USA (AGA Service Company) offers Allianz Travel-branded travel protection plans and serves millions of customers each year. In addition to travel protection, the company offers event ticket protection, registration protection for endurance events and unique travel assistance services such as international medical assistance and concierge services. AGA Service Company is doing business as Allianz Global Assistance Insurance Agency in California (License # 0B01400) and Massachusetts. Allianz Partners USA is part of the Allianz Partners group. Allianz Partners is a world leader in B2B2C insurance and assistance, offering global solutions that span international health and life, travel insurance, mobility and assistance. Customer driven, our innovative experts are redefining insurance services by delivering future-ready, high-tech, high-touch products and solutions that go beyond traditional insurance. Present in over 75 countries, our 19,400 employees speak 70 languages, handle over 58 million cases each year, and are motivated to go the extra mile to offer peace of mind to our customers around the world. 

For Allianz Partners USA products offered and sold in the U.S.: Terms, conditions, and exclusions apply to all plans. Plans are available only to U.S. residents. Not all plans are available in all jurisdictions. Availability of coverage, including the epidemic-related benefits and covered reasons described here, varies by product and by state. Products may not include all benefits or covered reasons described here. All benefits are subject to maximum limits of liability, which may in some cases be subject to sublimits and daily maximums. Benefits and limits vary by plan. For a complete description of the coverage and benefit limits offered under your specific plan, carefully review your plan’s Letter of Confirmation/Declarations and Certificate of Insurance/Policy. Insurance coverage is underwritten by BCS Insurance Company (OH, Administrative Office: Oakbrook Terrace, IL), rated "A" (Excellent) by A.M. Best Co., under BCS Form No. 52.201 series or 52.401 series, or Jefferson Insurance Company (NY, Administrative Office: Richmond, VA), rated "A+" (Superior) by A.M. Best Co., under Jefferson Form No. 101‐C series or 101‐P series, depending on state of residence. A+ (Superior) and A (Excellent) are the 2nd and 3rd highest, respectively, of A.M. Best’s 13 Financial Strength Ratings. Except as otherwise specified, AGA Service Company d/b/a Allianz Global Assistance is the licensed producer and administrator of Allianz Travel-branded travel protection plans in the U.S. and an affiliate of Jefferson Insurance Company. Allianz Global Assistance is a mark of AGA Service Company or its affiliates. The insured shall not receive any special benefit or advantage due to the affiliation between Allianz Global Assistance and Jefferson Insurance Company. Plans include insurance and assistance services. Noninsurance benefits/products are provided and serviced by Allianz Global Assistance.