J.D. Power Study: Travelers Satisfied with Travel Industry Response to COVID-19 Pandemic

Data analytics and consumer intelligence company J.D. Power conducted a survey on the response of the travel industry to the COVID-19 pandemic. The survey of 1,633 business and leisure travelers in the past year was conducted March 12–13. In general, those surveyed have faith in the travel industry and are satisfied with the industry’s response to the pandemic thus far.

Of those surveyed, 60 percent believe the hotel, airline and cruise industries demonstrated concern for the safety of travelers. Sixty-five percent believe these providers communicated updated information regarding cleaning procedures amidst the pandemic.

More than half of those surveyed said airlines, hotels and cruise lines are meeting or exceeding expectations on waiving change fees, cancellation fees and fully refunding a pre-paid hotel stay or flight. Travelers are particularly concerned about these policies. Of those polled, 18 percent said the industry is not meeting expectations at all for waiving change fees, 19 percent for waiving cancellation fees and 21 percent for fully refunding a pre-paid hotel stay or flight.

In these uncertain times, let’s stay positive together about the future of travel.