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Leisure travel
expectations off sharply. Staycations on the horizon. |
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SAN FRANCISCO,
CA (July 15, 2008) — The tourism industry risks
being hit with significant declines in leisure travel
volume and spending according to the findings of Destination
Analysts’ bi-annual The State of the American Traveler
survey released today. The survey of 1,000 American
leisure travelers shows that 45.8% expect to reduce
the number of leisure trips they will take in the coming
year in direct response to the overall economic climate.
General travel spending expectations are also depressed,
with 29.8% saying they will spend less for leisure in
the next 12 months, a figure that has more than doubled
from just six months prior. |
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In the past 12 months,
nearly one-in-four (23.6%) say they have taken a "staycation"-a
vacation spent at home-in response to gasoline prices.
28.5% of survey respondents said they plan to take a
staycation in the next 12 months. |
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“We expect to see travelers
taking fewer leisure trips and visiting destinations
that are closer to home. With more than half of travelers
saying they will actively look for travel bargains and
discounts and another third saying they will visit less
expensive destinations, affordability is certain to
be top-of-mind. In this climate, destinations, hotels,
and others that market to leisure travelers must provide
compelling offers that promise and deliver value,” says
Erin Francis, Managing Partner of Destination Analysts.
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The average number of
trips the typical American has taken in the past 12
months has already fallen 7.3% to 5.1. The top impediments
to travel continue to be high gasoline prices (57.8%),
personal financial reasons (49.5%) and expensive airfare
(35.2%). The percentage of survey respondents who have
cited these factors as having prevented them from traveling
as much as they would have preferred have all grown
significantly since the survey was first conducted in
July 2006. |
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ABOUT DESTINATION
ANALYSTS: Destination Analysts is a San Francisco-based
market research company specializing in the travel,
tourism and lifestyle industries. Founded in 2003, the
company provides innovative research solutions to organizations
charged with growing the economic impact of tourism
to their business or community. |
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The State of the American
Traveler survey is conducted every six months by Destination
Analysts. The summer 2008 survey was conducted online
amongst a nationally representative sample of adult
Americans. From June 27th-30th, surveys were collected
from a group of respondents who had traveled at least
once in the past 12 months for purely leisure or personal
reasons. In total, 1,014 leisure travelers completed
the survey, which has a reliability of +/- 3.1%. |
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| For more information on
The State of the American Traveler study, please contact
David Bratton at (415) 307-3283 or dave@destinationanalysts.com.
A four-page summary report of findings can be found
here. |
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