Maybe it was the arctic winter or perhaps the responses were more aspirational than realistic. But in the weeks leading up to conflict with Iran, Michiganders said in a survey they had planned to take more trips this year than last.
Will that hold as thousands of Americans struggle to return from the Mideast?
The folks at VisitDetroit, metro Detroit’s visitor and convention bureau, certainly hope so. The organization’s president and CEO told the Free Press the survey results were encouraging, “despite consumer uncertainty and geopolitical tensions.”
AAA — which released findings from its Consumer Pulse Survey on Tuesday, March 3 — said it had expected a “sharp rise in vacation intent” and also urged travelers “to better protect their plans” by purchasing travel insurance.
But, as a bit of unfortunate timing, on the same day the survey results were released, the U.S. Department of State also announced it was taking what it called “historic action” to help American citizens who were stranded in the Middle East.
The goverment said it was arranging charter flights and ground transportation for Americans and “will continue to secure additional capacity as security conditions allow.”
The State Department, which set up a task force to bring Americans home, said it answered calls from nearly 3,000 Americans and promised to waive requirements for citizens to reimburse the government for travel expenses.
And so far, it added, 9,000 of the Americans have returned.
Still, the travel industry is trying to sort out what that means for its business.
“With higher demand and more people traveling during peak seasons, unexpected disruptions like weather, delays, or cancellations become more common,” Debbie Haas, AAA’s vice president of travel said. She also touted travel insurance, which, “safeguards your investment, especially for big, complex, or international trips.”
Haas did not mention war — or terrorism.
Late last month, Michiganders also were temporarily stuck in Mexico and nearby countries as unrest broke out after a cartel leader was killed with support from American intelligence.
And last year, Canadians had various concerns about visiting America, which, according to VisitDetroit, depressed travel from that country to metro Detroit by 25%-30%, a trend that is expected to continue.
As for AAA’s survey, it asked 400 adults from Michigan between Jan. 26 and Feb. 5 questions about future travel, and showed 36% planned to take more vacations in 2026 compared with 2025.
Of those, 44% were planning two or three vacations of three or more days. The top planned vacations were road trips, beach destinations, national and state parks, and major metro areas.
The survey also found that only 26% of travelers planned to purchase travel insurance, which, given the recent news about stranded Americans in other countries, could change.
“Our expectation is that travel numbers will continue to trend in a positive direction,” said Claude Molinari, VisitDetroit’s president and CEO. “And with the primary tourism season approaching, there’s no better time to consider Detroit.”
Contact Frank Witsil: 313-222-5022 or fwitsil@freepress.com
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michiganders planned to take more trips in 2026 than 2025, survey says
Reporting by Frank Witsil, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
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