Is “Trip Stacking” Fall’s Biggest Travel Trend?

Key Points:

• Trip stacking is when travelers plan multiple trips in case one of them gets canceled due to the pandemic.
• Trip stacking can be a dangerous trend for small companies who can’t absorb the cancelation loss of revenue.
• Kimkim has seen an increased demand for outdoor destinations.

Commentary:

During the COVID-19 pandemic, travelers have had to get crafty to find new sites to see, from online live experiences to domestic tourism. The most recent trend for air travelers, though, is trip stacking, in which travelers plan multiple trips in a short time frame to insulate against COVID cancellations, and then as the date approaches, canceling all but one of the flights. We asked Chris McCarty, Head of Engineering at kimkim, a customized travel booking company, about the trend. Though he says kimkim hasn’t been hurt by it, he believes it can be a dangerous trend for smaller companies. McCarty also touched on what other travel trends kimkim is strategizing around.

Abridged Thoughts:

In short, trip stacking is when travelers plan multiple trips, often for the same dates as a type of insurance policy if something goes wrong or they can’t do a trip. The intention is to cancel all but one of the trips and to delay that decision as long as possible. For people who are doing this, I understand the reasons. I just hope you keep in mind, especially for smaller companies that are involved. It’s harder for them sometimes to absorb cancellations as bigger companies can. And the uncertainty of if the trip’s going to go through makes it harder for them to plan their comeback or rehiring and things like that. And they may take a more cautious approach and wait longer to hire people back and things like that. I