Following a long stretch of stay-at-home orders, consumers are eager to get out and travel according to a new research study from Oracle and Skift.

Just over half (51 percent) of people surveyed in both North and Latin America plan to book trips in the next six months, while 38 percent of those in Asia-Pacific and Europe are planning getaways, according to the press release that accompanied the survey. People, however, are opting to stay closer to home with driving-distance (47 percent) or domestic trips (44 percent) being favored. With so much uncertainty ahead, consumers are also demanding flexible cancellation and refund policies (76 percent) and are more open to considering hotels offering discounted rates (65 percent).

Consumers’ willingness to travel also comes with heavy caveats for hotels in terms of advancements in cleaning and technology. In response, 70 percent of hotels already are or are planning to adopt contactless technology for check-in, food ordering, concierge services and more. Ninety percent have increased or are planning to increase cleaning and disinfecting frequency and training for staff on these procedures and safer guest interactions (89 percent).

“As the hospitality industry turns a corner on the road to recovery, technology will be critical to protecting travelers and workers alike,” said Alex Alt, senior vice president and general manager, Oracle Hospitality. “Safety rightly remains consumers’ top priority when they consider traveling, and the hospitality industry is doubling down on technology to facilitate social distancing and reduce face-to-face interaction for guests’ protection.”

The global study, “A Data-Driven Look at Hospitality’s Recovery,” explored 4,600 consumers and 1,800 hotel executives’ attitudes and outlook on travel, including changes to the guest and employee experience, booking policies and distribution, and the industry’s recovery outlook. Visit www.oracle.com/Hospitality to get a copy of the report.