Many NJ residents are itching to travel. What you should know if you're planning a trip

Passaic County travel agent Ruby Stanfield has never seen her phone lines and email inbox so busy. Everyone wants to travel these days. And they’re willing to pay top dollar now to get away.

“We have been busy all year long — it’s been crazy since COVID,” said Stanfield, who owns Ruby’s Travel in Wayne. “We used to slow down in the summertime but now there’s no slowing down.”

Experts say the travel industry — which worldwide took an estimated $4 trillion hit thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic — has fundamentally changed as it emerges from a three-year global health crisis.

Travel has rebounded from the pandemic, and even exceeded pre-COVID levels.

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For example, travel levels to New Jersey destinations — including the Jersey Shore — pushed past 2019 levels in 2023, according to a study by Oxford Economics, and are expected to only rise each year.

Not only has travel rebounded — the industry has changed. Tipping, for example, has become more commonplace . Restaurants and hospitality have become more short-staffed. New technology has emerged — think QR codes instead of menus at restaurants.)

And many travelers have pushed the boundaries for what exactly defines a vacation.

“Nothing was as big as Covid. Nothing will ever compare to that,” Stanfield said. Not even inflation as it cools down from a 40-year high , Stanfield said.

Airfares are pricey, and baggage fees are up too

Travel demand remains high despite the high costs of some aspects. Airfares, for instance, have been quite pricey.

The cheaper airfare prices seen during the pandemic are long gone , though they’re ultimately still lower than during the worst of inflation in the summer of 2022.

In late 2023, the average airline ticket out of Newark Liberty International Airport was $426, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics , compared to $232 in late 2020.

Many airlines, including United Airlines — which uses Newark as a hub — are increasing baggage fees .

“Maybe the airlines lost so much money that they’re trying to get it back,” said Claudete Fujikawa, a travel agent with AAA Northeast, based in Hackensack.

The Transportation Security Administration has meanwhile unveiled new technology, including face-scanning and photo ID verification technology , which has raised privacy concerns over how the data is kept and used.

NJ tourism destinations benefit from pricey airfare

The higher airfare has been a blessing in disguise for New Jersey tourism destinations, including the Jersey Shore, said Jeffrey Vasser, head of the state’s Division of Travel and Tourism, which markets New Jersey to other regions around the nation and the world as a vacation destination.

“We didn’t suffer as much as some of the more air-dependent destinations during the height of the pandemic,” Vasser said.

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Would-be travelers from New York, Pennsylvania and New England could all simply drive to the Jersey Shore, rather than have to take expensive airfare.

“That’s what our competitive advantage has always been,” he said.

Tipping, QR codes, spottier service — changes to dining out

When dining on vacation, tipping has become more frequent.

Before COVID, the tradition was largely limited to sit-down restaurants, or a belltop or car valet. Now it's a provided option at every business with a spin-around touchscreen, not to mention fast food restaurants, coffee shops, food trucks, delivery apps and rideshare services.

Parul Jain, who teaches finance and economics at Rutgers Business School, has said that tipping got a huge boost during the COVID-19 pandemic.

People used to tip on the basis of performance, she said. Now, the near ubiquitous use of touch screens at places where we'd never previously thought to tip applies enormous pressure.

The expectations for a tip remained high even after the pandemic subsided. "Tipping norms went up," Jain said.  Moreover, restaurants already faced with increased food costs began relying on increased tips to pay their employees.

QR codes were adopted during the pandemic because they offered a contactless method to view a menu. But they’ve gotten pushback from customers, and some restaurants have relented.

Meanwhile, the restaurant and hotel staffing shortages seen in 2021 during what’s been known as the “Great Resignation” have lingered.

It was only in recent months that restaurant staffing made it past pre-pandemic levels, according to the National Restaurant Association .

Working remotely while away, or 'quiet vacationing'

With the ease of remote work, more people have used business trips as a way to add on some extra vacation time, said Joshua Friedlander, vice president of research at the U.S Travel Association.

And more people are working remotely from all manner of exotic locations and travel destinations, essentially vacationing while working, Friedlander said.

“Theoretically, I can work from anywhere Friday as long as I’m digitally connected,” he said.

The practice — which has been dubbed “quiet vacationing” — allows workers to essentially vacation without having to dip into their paid time off. Just make sure to blur out your background on Zoom during meetings.

A report in June from The Harris Poll found that 48% of American workers would likely take part in quiet vacationing during the July 4 weekend, most of them millennials and Gen Zers.

The ability of young professionals to enjoy their time off has been hampered by “workplace culture and workload pressures,” while many dread “the backlog of work awaiting their return,” said Tim Osiecki, director of thought leadership and trends at The Harris Poll.

“Remote work blurred the boundaries between professional and personal time, making it harder for employees to disconnect,” he said in an email.

More travel insurance, refundable bookings

Fujikawa, the AAA travel agent in Hackensack, said many travelers learned painful lessons after their plans were canceled or indefinitely postponed during the height of the pandemic shutdowns.

Cassandra Happe, an analyst with the financial advice website WalletHub, said that the goal for many travelers has been to acquire travel insurance —or at the very least, find refundable bookings.

A poll by Business Insider from December found that 38% of surveyed travelers bought insurance for their trip.

Casinos and business travel still struggling

Online gambling and sports-betting — online or via a phone app — have both soared by double digits year over year, while in-person gambling revenue has largely stayed flat .

“The casinos have not fully recovered their in-person visitation,” said Vasser, of the state’s tourism division.

Meanwhile, business travel has struggled to return to its pre-pandemic levels, both Vasser and Friedlander said.

“People are still doing some of their meetings virtually,” Vasser said. “They may still do their big meeting in person, but some of the regional meetings … they’re doing virtually.”

Daniel Munoz covers business, consumer affairs, labor and the economy for NorthJersey.com and The Record.

Email: munozd@northjersey.com ; Twitter: @danielmunoz100 and Facebook

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Many NJ residents are itching to travel. What you should know if you're planning a trip