Summer travel trends when 146 million Americans hit the road include lower price increases than last year when airline prices alone rose about 10%, according to a new report by Expedia.
Expedia’s Travel Trendwatch found, however, that 60% of US adults plan to fly as much this summer as last summer.
Where are travelers going? One popular place: off-the-beaten-path destinations.
Other trends in the survey:
Ø With busy work schedules, more adults are mixing business and leisure.
Ø Everything’s getting more crowded but prices are holding firm.
Ø Popular destinations such as New York City, Hawaii, Washington, DC, Boston, Orlando and Vancouver are seeing ticket price reductions of 4 to 7%, likely due to capacity increases.
Ø “On the flip side, Miami, New Orleans and Toronto are seeing increases of 5 to 8 percent, likely due to increased demand,” the study said.
Ø A large number of those surveyed or 86% said they were likely to consider off-the-beaten-path destinations.
Ø Another 83% said they were very likely to extend a business trip for a few days for leisure purposes. A majority said they plan to invite a friend or family member to join them on a future business trip.
The study offered various suggestions for cost-conscious travelers such as choosing the Wisconsin Dells instead of Orlando, where there are often long lines and high prices. The family-friendly Dells have 18 indoor water parks, the highest concentration in the world.
The Expedia Travel Trendwatch™ is a quarterly report on consumer travel trends, plus insight and tips from Expedia.com, a leading online travel service. Chris McGinnis, a 20-year travel industry veteran, is the
editor of the report.
Report by David Wilkening
