A telephone survey of 1,000 people conducted by the United States Tour Operators Association finds that income and demographics can be a good indicator of what people look for in vacations. USTOA found the results of affluent travelers the most surprising. "People imagine high-income travelers jetting around the world, sailing the Amazon, visiting Rome this year, Rio the next, following a safari with a sailing trip along the Turkish coast or taking an extended cruise," Bob Whitley, president of USTOA, said in a statement. "However, our survey found that one-third of travelers with a household income greater than $100,000 indicated they preferred to revisit favorite vacation destinations." For those earning $35,000 or less, the desire to return to beloved cities dropped to less than 20 percent.
A motivator for higher income guests to opt for an escorted tour or package is a wide selection of side trips, the survey found. Women and lower-income travelers, meanwhile, tend to choose packaged vacations based on such things as additional meals and sightseeing included in the price. Younger travelers in the 18-to-34 age bracket and families with children under 12 look for packages with free room upgrades. Visit [www.ustoa.com]. (JM)