The signs are everywhere: the world is reopening, and there’s a renewed sense of hope and optimism to go right along with it. You can feel the energy building as people make plans to hit the road and get out of town for what promises to be a summer unlike any other in recent memory. And with so many Americans now able to work remotely, they’re increasingly looking to combine work and play to extend their travel longer than your run-of-the-mill one-week vacation.

Need proof? AirBnB just reported that nearly 25% of its bookings are now comprised of stays of 28 days or more. That’s a 70% increase over their previous high, and that’s not even counting people looking to get away for (just) 2–3 weeks.

While that all sounds great, for PTV stations, there’s a potential downside, as one of the largest cohorts of last year’s newly acquired donors is also chomping at the bit to get out of town and stay gone for long stretches of time: Passport donors.

The good news is that Passport donors are still extremely engaged and April Passport streaming numbers remained at high levels across all key metrics, with the stations CDP tracks seeing near record-breaking streaming rates thanks in large part to Atlantic Crossing and Hemingway.

Source: CDP Analytics Engine

But at a time when many stations are putting the finishing touches on FY22 budgets, there’s a growing sense that Summer 2021 may turn out to be the Summer of Distractions. From family reunions and social gatherings to extended vacations and travel plans, Americans, including those all-important first-year, Passport-acquired donors, could end up being less engaged with the routines that carried them through the pandemic, choosing exploration of the physical world beyond their doors instead.

So, where does that leave FY22 budgets that are relying on the retention of that large influx of 2020 Passport donors? When combined with an increasing number of ways to spend entertainment dollars and signals of a turbulent economy ahead, any decline in consumption or sense of personal importance of Passport may result in a spike in sustainer cancellations as Passport donors take a harder look at their automated micropayments and adjust their household budgets accordingly.

But the good news is that there are steps your station can take now to keep donors engaged and retained. Consider launching a seasonal Passport promotional campaign specifically targeted at educating donors on Passport’s portability via apps, smart TVs and mobile devices and encouraging them to take Passport on the road with them this summer. In addition, if your station has found itself in a strong financial position thanks to a successful fundraising year, investing in the acquisition of programming with digital rights (especially dramas) for upload to Passport and promoting it enthusiastically can help keep the Passport program pipeline filled with new content and incentize donors to keep streaming….and giving.

These steps, along with any other donor stewardship efforts you may have planned for the coming months can help keep donors engaged, no matter where their travels take them this summer.

The Summer of Distraction: Make Sure Donors Remember Their Passport