What Did The Harris Poll Discover About Travelers and IRL Out of Home’s Influence on Them?

July 15, 2025

The Harris Poll just released its latest batch of research, this time around, focusing on how Americans plan to travel this summer and how out of home reaches and influences our decisions along the way. Here are the top five takeaways from the new survey.

1. We’re already taking advantage of shopping, attractions, and entertainment close to home.

Consumers haven’t waited for summer to start getting out of the house and enjoying themselves. More than three quarters say that they’ve visited a shopping or entertainment district within the last 90 days while 56% say the same for tourist attractions or destinations close to home.

2. Four in ten are planning to take a local or regional trip less than 200 miles from home.

Airfare can be a major vacation expense, especially for larger families. But there’s nothing like a good old road trip. More than two thirds say that they’ll travel by personal vehicle this summer. Forty-one percent plan to stay 200 miles or less from home, meaning that nearby travel businesses don’t need to reach far to influence future guests.

3. Consumers notice travel OOH while out and about, and then they take action.

Travel brands flourish on out of home canvases – that’s why they’re so prolific. Consumers report seeing OOH for travel brands just as frequently on their commute as they do while out shopping – 39% each. After encountering travel brands on real-world media, we’re using our phones to learn more – with 37% searching for the advertiser, 26% clicking on the ad when they see it online, and 23% following on social media.

4. Two in three say that out of home influences their major travel decisions.

It’s one thing to see a travel billboard and then Google the advertiser. But IRL out of home advertising has a profound influence on travelers. Fifty-six percent have added a destination to their travel bucket list after seeing it advertised in the real world. And two out of three say that it influences where they go on vacation, what they do when they get there, and where they stay at the end of the night.

5. A majority of consumers recall seeing travel-related OOH IRL across every single subcategory.

From airlines to cruises and everything in between, real-world OOH gets noticed. For each subcategory of the travel vertical, at least 55% report noticing IRL out of home. Theme parks get 62% recall, vacation destinations 64%, and hotels 69%.

Travel inspiration takes wing in real life with out of home advertising.

From big, bold wallscapes to high-dwell-time digitals, out of home lets travel destinations, brands, and businesses connect with their next customers in ways as countless as those destinations themselves. Are you looking to connect with your guests? Connect with OUTFRONT first.

Author: Jay Fenster, Marketing Manager @ OUTFRONT

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