Overview

Zeeto recently conducted a survey to understand how the coronavirus pandemic has impacted Americans’ plans for the Memorial Day weekend. Our findings show that travel will be much more negatively affected than non-travel activities, such as visiting beaches, parks, or local restaurants. Still, the majority of polled Americans say they are not planning to engage in non-travel activities, but not all of them for coronavirus-related reasons.

Highlights 

• Fewer than 10% of Americans plan to travel this Memorial Day 
• Roughly ⅓ of Americans are open to non-travel activities
• Males are slightly more open to travel and non-travel activities than females 
• Younger age groups are more open to travel and non-travel activities than older ones 
• Americans are slightly more concerned about going to a restaurant than going to a beach or a public park

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Results 

“Do you plan on traveling over the Memorial Day weekend?”

Fewer than 1 in 10 polled Americans plan to travel for either work or leisure, compared with nearly 5 in 10 who plan to stay home and continue to self-quarantine. Another 47% still haven’t decided about their travel plans, but with the holiday weekend a few days away it’s unlikely that many will decide to travel.   

Looking at the data by gender, a larger share of females (50%) plans to stay home and self quarantine, compared with about 4 in 10 males. 11% of males are planning to travel for either work or leisure, which is more than twice the share of females (4%). For both males and females, plans to travel for leisure is slightly more common than plans to travel for work. 

Looking at the data by age, older age groups are more likely than younger age groups to stay home and self quarantine. People in their 60s are the most likely at 63%, whereas people 18-29 and people in their 40s are the least likely at 35%. Younger age groups are more likely to travel over the holiday weekend. 19% of people 18-29 plan to travel for either work or leisure, which represents the largest share of all the age groups, compared with only 3% of people in their 60s, which represents the smallest share of all the age groups. 

“Would you consider going to a beach or a local park over the Memorial Day weekend?”

Americans appear to be slightly more open to non-travel activities. 36% would consider going to a beach or a local park, which is more than roughly 3 in 10 who wouldn’t feel safe being around other people. Still, the majority of people who would consider going to a beach or a local park would be very cautious and stay away from crowded areas. Another roughly ⅓ would not consider going to either location, but not because of coronavirus-related reasons.  

Looking at the data by gender, 39% of males would consider going to a beach or a local park, compared with 33% of females. However, more than half of male and female potential beach or park goers would be very cautious and stay away from crowded areas. 30% of males don’t feel safe being around other people, compared with 36% of females. Another roughly 3 in 10 males and females would not consider going to either location, but not because of corona-related reasons. 

Younger age groups are more likely than older ones to consider going to a beach or a local park. People 18-29 are the most likely at 43%, whereas people 60 and above are the least likely at 31%. Roughly 20% of all age groups would consider going to a beach or a local park by being very cautious and staying away from crowded areas. People 70 or above are the most likely to not feel safe being around other people at 38%, whereas people 18-29 are the least likely at 26%.

“Would you consider going to a restaurant over the Memorial Day weekend?”‍

Similar to the number of people who would consider going to a beach or a local park, about ⅓ would consider dining out over the holiday weekend. Yet, nearly 4 in 10 wouldn’t feel safe being around other people at a restaurant, which is more than roughly 3 in 10 who wouldn’t feel safe being around other people at a beach or a local park.   

When it comes to gender, 36% of males would consider dining out, compared with 32% of females. For both male and female, the majority of this share is made of people who would be very cautious and sit on an outside patio at 19%. 40% of females don’t feel safe being in crowded areas, compared with 37% of males. Another roughly 3 in 10 males and females would not consider dining out, but not because of corona-related reasons. 

Similar to beaches and parks, younger age groups are more likely than older ones to consider dining out. People in their 30s or below are the most likely at nearly 4 in 10, whereas people in their 60s are the least likely at 1 in 10. Roughly 20% of all age groups would consider dining out, but would be very cautious and sit on an outside patio. People in their 60s are the most likely to not feel safe being in crowded areas at 49%, whereas 18-29 are the least likely at 34%. 

Methodology 

This poll was conducted on May 19, 2020. The results are based on an online survey of 2,015 Americans. 51% of survey respondents were female and 49% were male, which is on par with population estimates from the US Census 2018 American Community Survey. For age, 17% of survey respondents were 18-29, 15% were 30-39, 17% were 40-49, 22% were 50-59, 15% were 60-69, and 15% were 70 or above. With the exception of 50-59, all age groups were within 5 percentage points of 2018 estimates. The survey has a margin of error of +/- 2-6 percentage points (depending on the subset of data) with a confidence level of 95%.