People In These Two North Carolina Cities Love Their Road Trips
The COVID-19 pandemic has been challenging for travel and tourism businesses. The leisure and hospitality and travel and transportation industries have consistently been reported among the sectors hardest hit by…
The COVID-19 pandemic has been challenging for travel and tourism businesses. The leisure and hospitality and travel and transportation industries have consistently been reported among the sectors hardest hit by the effects of the coronavirus. Between shifting public health restrictions, travelers’ concerns about the spread of the virus, and ongoing challenges filling jobs, it has been difficult for businesses in these fields to return to full capacity and stay there.
According to the U.S. Travel Association, major metrics like travel spending and hotel bookings only approached pre-pandemic levels this past December—nearly two years after the pandemic first reached the U.S. two North Carolina cities have seen the largest growth in the number of road trips.
Despite this, some forms of travel have remained resilient and even grown in popularity as a result of COVID-19. Among these are road trips, defined here as trips between 100 and 500 miles made in a personal vehicle. During the pandemic, road trippers have found that they can still take vacations while avoiding other concerns like greater potential exposure to the virus or the high volume of flight cancellations due to the Omicron surge at the end of 2021.
1. New Orleans-Metairie, LA
Change in long-distance road trips (2019–2021): +94.2%
Total long-distance road trips (2021): 14,274,908
Total long-distance road trips (2019): 7,351,550
2. Raleigh-Cary, NC
Change in long-distance road trips (2019–2021):+70.1%
Total long-distance road trips (2021): 16,169,102
Total long-distance road trips (2019):9,508,399
3. Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC
Change in long-distance road trips (2019–2021): +63.0%
Total long-distance road trips (2021): 36,644,756
Total long-distance road trips (2019):22,478,685
4. Birmingham-Hoover, AL
Change in long-distance road trips (2019–2021): +62.4%
Total long-distance road trips (2021): 14,867,602
Total long-distance road trips (2019): 9,154,039
5. San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
Change in long-distance road trips (2019–2021):
Total long-distance road trips (2021):
Total long-distance road trips (2019):
6. San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA
Change in long-distance road trips (2019–2021): +50.4%
Total long-distance road trips (2021): 31,850,588
Total long-distance road trips (2019): 21,178,312
7. Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI
Change in long-distance road trips (2019–2021): +47.0%
Total long-distance road trips (2021): 39,502,998
Total long-distance road trips (2019): 26,871,284
8. Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach, FL
Change in long-distance road trips (2019–2021): +46.6%
Total long-distance road trips (2021): 52,295,821
Total long-distance road trips (2019): 35,678,662
9. Memphis, TN-MS-AR
Change in long-distance road trips (2019–2021): +46.3%
Total long-distance road trips (2021): 20,781,727
Total long-distance road trips (2019): 14,202,165
10. Tulsa, OK
Change in long-distance road trips (2019–2021): +44.0%
Total long-distance road trips (2021): 11,066,206
Total long-distance road trips (2019): 7,687,292
11. Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, TX
Change in long-distance road trips (2019–2021): +41.6%
Total long-distance road trips (2021): 17,059,635
Total long-distance road trips (2019): 12,046,893
12. Tucson, AZ
Change in long-distance road trips (2019–2021): +34.5%
Total long-distance road trips (2021): 11,727,928
Total long-distance road trips (2019): 8,718,777
13. Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN
Change in long-distance road trips (2019–2021): +32.4%
Total long-distance road trips (2021): 21,741,652
Total long-distance road trips (2019): 16,421,601
14. Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC
Change in long-distance road trips (2019–2021): +32.0%
Total long-distance road trips (2021): 15,593,669
Total long-distance road trips (2019): 11,815,263
15. St. Louis, MO-IL
Change in long-distance road trips (2019–2021): +31.8%
Total long-distance road trips (2021): 30,515,274
Total long-distance road trips (2019): 23,161,154
United States Totals
Change in long-distance road trips (2019–2021): +20.9%
Total long-distance road trips (2021): 3,810,300,104
Total long-distance road trips (2019): 3,152,338,169
