According to the results of a new survey conducted by YouGov PLC for Honeywell, travelers’ priorities have shifted when it comes to selecting the airlines and hotels they’re booking amid the COVID-19 pandemic .

The study polled a base sample of U.S. and U.K. adults (weighted to represent the countries’ overall populations) about the criteria they’re looking at when determining their travel choices. In a sign of the times, cleanliness/hygiene ranked highest among their considerations (57 percent), surpassing cost and all other factors.

There can be no doubt that COVID-19 has drastically altered consumers’ concerns, perceptions and motivators surrounding travel. Airlines and lodgings that can provide experiences anchored in health safety, hygiene and cleanliness are the ones that will ultimately win back travelers’ confidence.

"Travel and hospitality companies that lead the way on safety and cleanliness protocols during the pandemic are likely to be better positioned when global travel rebounds," said Bill Kircos, vice president, Global Marketing, Honeywell Aerospace. "It's evident that airlines, airports and lodging providers must address safety and cleanliness as part of their core brand offering, now and in the future.”

The Honeywell survey uncovered several insights into consumers’ shifting perceptions and motivations :

—Ninety-two percent of respondents who had traveled by air since the start of the pandemic reported that their experience of health and safety measures at the airport was either positive (61 percent) or neutral (31 percent).

—Their airport experiences had made 40 percent of recent flyers more likely to travel again in the first half of 2021, versus 15 percent who said their experiences had made them less likely to travel.

—In comparison to other aspects of travel, lodging seemed to be the least concerning component, with only nine percent of participants citing it as the part of the journey that would concern them most.

—Among those who had stayed in a hotel since March, 93 percent reported that they had a positive experience relating to health safety and cleanliness.

—Among those who have upcoming air-travel plans, 52 percent plan to stay in hotels at their destination, versus just 22 percent who are planning on booking vacation rentals.

—Forty-eight percent of those surveyed pointed to enhanced cleanliness, health and safety procedures as the factor that would compel them to stay at a hotel.

"Although lodging is not currently the top concern for many when it comes to their travel journey, consumers are giving additional thought to where they stay," Kircos said. "And, although vacation rentals have gained in popularity in recent years, we're seeing consumers put their trust in hotels because they feel more confident in their cleanliness and hygiene standards."

Interestingly, while the respective responses from U.S. and U.K. residents largely reflected one another, some distinctions emerged in terms of each nation’s attitudes, motivators and barriers to travel.

—Among those who hadn’t flown since March, a COVID-19 vaccine was cited as the top potential inducement to return to air travel (48 percent). However, the prospect of a vaccine motivated more U.K. respondents (52 percent) than U.S. respondents (42 percent).

—Among those with air-travel plans in the next eight months, more U.K. respondents were likely to stay in hotels (57 percent) than those from the U.S. (43 percent). And, Americans were more likely to say they’d be staying at the home of a friend or relative (50 percent) than Britons (31 percent).