How Top Travel Destinations Were Impacted By the Coronavirus Pandemic

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Sep 17, 2020, 17:23 ET

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., Sept. 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Six months ago, the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus outbreak a global pandemic, impacting travel worldwide.

Data from travel insurance comparison site, Squaremouth, reveals how travel to top tourist destinations has been affected since COVID-19 was declared a pandemic.

Drastic Decrease in Travel to International Destinations

Prior to COVID-19, international trips made up 86% of all insured travel, but in the six months following the pandemic declaration, international trips account for only 47% of insured travel.

The United States is the only top destination to see an increase in travelers for trips booked amidst the pandemic, all other top destinations have seen significant decreases.

Top 10 Destinations 6 Months Prior to Pandemic Declaration	% Change in Number of Travelers Post-Pandemic Declaration
US	+7.48%
Mexico	-75.15%
Italy	-93.89%
France	-90.78%
Canada	-74.92%
Spain	-93.16%
UK	-84.27%
The Bahamas	-83.53%
Israel	-86.55%
Costa Rica	-91.64%

Accessible Destinations Replace Europe For American Travelers

European countries accounted for half of the top ten international destinations for American travelers prior to COVID-19. However, as COVID-19 caused travel restrictions for many European destinations, the UK and France are the only European countries to remain in the top ten international destinations.

Accessible destinations like Mexico, Canada, and Caribbean countries now account for more than half of the top ten international destinations.

Top 10 International Destinations 6 Months Prior to Pandemic Declaration	Top 10 International Destinations 6 Months Post-Pandemic Declaration
Mexico	Mexico
Italy	Canada
France	UK
Canada	The Bahamas
Spain	US Virgin Islands
UK	Turks and Caicos
The Bahamas	Israel
Israel	Jamaica
Costa Rica	France
Germany	Australia

Methodology: Data is based on travel insurance policies purchased through Squaremouth between September 12, 2019 - September 11, 2020, for all future travel. Statistics reflect the comparison between the six month period prior to the pandemic declaration (Sept 12, 2019 - March 11, 2020) to the six month period after the pandemic was declared (March 12, 2020 - Sept 11, 2020) unless otherwise noted.

KEY CURRENT RESOURCE:

Squaremouth.com created the Coronavirus Pandemic Current Event Center which is updated daily with available travel insurance coverage and answers to FAQs as the COVID-19 pandemic evolves.

ABOUT SQUAREMOUTH

SQUAREMOUTH compares travel insurance policies from every major travel insurance provider in the United States. Using Squaremouth's comparison engine and third-party customer reviews, travelers can research and compare travel insurance policies side-by-side. More information can be found at www.squaremouth.com.

Available Topic Expert:
Kasara Barto
[email protected]

SOURCE Squaremouth