2021 BACH Travel Trends Report
It was just over a year ago when the world changed in startling ways few could have imagined.
Masks became mandatory. Schools were closed. Social life, as we once knew it, was discontinued. And in a matter of just a few weeks, plans for the future were, abruptly, put on indefinite hold.
The pandemic touched nearly every business, with the wedding and travel industries among the most drastically upended. Weddings were postponed and rescheduled, again and again—while trips were limited to the walk from the fridge to the couch.
With weddings back on the calendar and travel beginning to pick back up, the team here at BACH wanted to take a look at just what group travel and bachelorette party trips could look like in 2021 and how COVID-19 will continue to shape the remainder of the year.
This report is based on a combination of survey responses from 12,591 BACH users and first-party data from the BACH platform of over 500,000 users.
Group Travel to Rebound in 2021
Travelers are making up for lost time and planning all kinds of group trips for the summer of 2021. A whopping 88% of respondents are attending two or more group trips in the next year, and over 12% are attending at least five. (Group trips here being defined as at least four attendees.)
Travelers are making the most of the long weekend, with most groups starting their trips on a Friday and stretching the festivities until sometime Monday. Work from home, of course, is still commonplace across the country. With this flexibility that many predict is here to stay, travelers can now extend their stays at destinations and plug in when they need to. Sunday Funday? Sign us up.
A key takeaway here is that 61% of these travelers plan on flying to their destination. This is a huge shift from last summer and fall, when many BACH users were actively avoiding flying and lengthy travel due to the pandemic. Instead, they were favoring party destinations that were within driving distance. But this spring and summer, air travel is officially back.
It’s worth noting that BACH attendees tend to start planning their trips far in advance—on average 114 days before the event. Due to the travel boom these next few months, starting the planning process as early as possible is going to be crucial to lock in the plans a group wants. Best part about making early bookings? Many COVID-19 cancellation policies are still favorable for travel arrangements, so take advantage of it while you can.
The Impact of COVID-19
With many wedding dates being postponed, bachelor and bachelorette parties naturally followed suit. This lull in BACH parties since the pandemic’s onset has resulted in pent-up demand that’s coming to a head in the upcoming months and peaking this summer.
Let’s dive into the numbers.
42% of respondents plan to attend two or more BACH parties this year—a percentage that would be considered high even during pre-pandemic times.
As you’d expect, COVID-19 has dramatically delayed travel plans with 35% of respondents attending a rescheduled party this year that was originally planned for 2020, and a third of respondents who changed their party destination in light of COVID-19 concerns.
At BACH, we saw a rising interest in quieter destinations like the Florida Keys and Newport, RI for a weekend getaway starting back in the fall of 2020. Partiers were generally opting outside to find more spacious and low-key venues to limit the risk of transmission, rather than partying in some of the prevailing BACH party cities.
But don’t rule out the rebound of top nightlife destinations like Las Vegas, Nashville, and New Orleans—our data shows they’re on their way back. As millions of Americans get vaccinated each day and the future continues to look much safer, we’re now seeing an uptick in trips being planned in these historically popular party cities.
What BACH Parties Will Look Like in 2021
BACH parties are rolling deep this year, with the average party size coming in at 10.2 people. The more the merrier seems to be the ruling theme for parties—in fact, over 13% of parties are boasting groups of more than fifteen attendees, a small parade.
The data is showing demand will start to bubble up right in the heat of July and soar during August. But we expect to see many more trips from September through October (keep in mind that BACH attendees start planning over 3 months out).
At the current pace, reports suggest anyone in the U.S. who wants a vaccine should be able to get one far before then, and a wave of BACH parties in the weeks right before autumn weddings seems very likely based on BACH’s historical data.
Where BACH Parties Will Be in 2021
Nashville remains the crowd-favorite for the third straight year, with thousands of respondents giddying on up to Music City in 2021.
Miami, too, has been buzzin’ throughout the pandemic and is currently the #3 destination for parties on the BACH app. We expect the 305’s popularity to keep growing as travelers yearn for beach vacations post-pandemic.
The city that made the biggest leap this past year is Scottsdale, Arizona, rising from #5 all the way to #2. With warm weather, trendy bars, and a vibrant nightlife scene, this Sonoran Desert oasis is now our fastest-growing BACH party destination.
While Sin City dropped from #2 down to #4 due to the pandemic, it’s bouncing back strong as we head into summer and nightlife becomes more desirable.
Be sure to keep a close eye on the charming coastal town of Savannah as it continues to come up through the ranks. The team here at BACH predicts it will jump into the top five by 2022!
See the full ranking of the top 13 BACH cities below:
Where Travelers Are Staying
BACH parties are choosing to stay at home rentals over hotels. 77% of respondents, in fact, plan on renting a home during their BACH weekend.
This makes a lot of sense for a couple compelling reasons. For one, parties are traveling with larger groups of ten or more people and want to keep the whole squad together in one spot all weekend long. Additionally, they want to find safer dwellings during COVID times. By staying at a rental, they can host some of the weekend’s festivities from home, while limiting interaction with those outside of their immediate crew.
About half of travelers are planning to spend $250+ on accommodations in 2021. This is a significant increase from last year and could be due to two main factors:
1) They’ve saved a year’s worth of money while hunkering down during the pandemic. Now they’re ready to throw down and splurge.
2) In response to COVID-19, they’re looking to bring the BACH party experiences to the house: private chefs, personalized decor, private yoga and fitness classes, and pool parties (with giant inflatable flamingo floats, obviously). Booking a spacious, scenic house makes these private experiences that much more enjoyable.
What Travelers Are Doing
BACH users are absolutely loving transpotainment experiences right now, like party buses, pedal pubs, haunted tours, and booze cruises. Importantly, these are open-air experiences with just their group—and they’re almost all BYOB.
That’s a tough combo to beat, especially when you can play your crew’s favorite songs and let the mobile dance party commence.
One resounding truth we’ve learned from our users is that, at the end of the day, it’s all about the 'gram. BACH parties are seeking out all those Instagrammable moments as they tour new cities and document their trip. From private Insta-worthy photoshoots in Nashville to colorful mural tours in the Wynwood Art District of Miami, BACH parties are always looking for that perfect photo op.
Our sleeper pick for BACH experiences? Private chefs. A classy and cozy experience, at-home dining with a private chef has seen a huge rise in demand during the pandemic. Moving forward, we believe this experience is here to stay.
Pontoon Charters are the rising stars of BACH experiences. Buoyant and boozy, a pontoon ride is a perfect day-hang activity our users love. It’s a fun way to explore a new coastline, drink as many Claws as you like, and party on the beach.
TLDR: The Two Key Takeaways for BACH Parties in 2021
1. The group travel and BACH party effect will be strong
According to our data, the average BACH party is spending $5,500-$7,000 on their trip in total. With many U.S. cities hurting from the lack of domestic tourism this past year, the ability to attract BACH parties (and ensure they feel safe) will result in a sizable impact on the local economy. With travelers frequenting small businesses like bars, restaurants, boutique shops, and tourism experiences, BACH parties can help these cities and residents execute the rebound they've been hoping for.
2. Buckle up for a fun summer!
After a year of tremendous stress and uncertainty, the end of this madness doesn’t feel so far away anymore. People are getting vaccinated and they’re ready to travel to beautiful places with the people they love. They’re ready to celebrate life’s most cherished milestones in a big way.
Interested in partnering with us? Go here to learn more or contact us at info@thebach.com.
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