Fully 54 percent of U.S. adults are planning at least one overnight trip during the next six months, up from 50 percent the same time last year, according to research results from a new travelhorizons survey. The results suggest the industry should be cautiously optimistic about what the next few months will bring.
Dream destinations for leisure travelers, according to the 2009 National Travel MONITOR, include Florida and California, which continue to reign as the states Americans would like to visit most on vacation. Fully one-third (34 percent) of leisure travelers mentioned the former and three out of 10 (30 percent) cited the latter. Arizona, Hawaii and New York follow, mentioned by roughly one out of six leisure travelers.
Of the more than 25 specific destinations measured for consumers’ interest, the National Parks were identified as the dream destination by fully two-thirds of American leisure travelers, followed by the Neighbor Islands of Hawaii (63 percent), Honolulu (59 percent) and the Florida Keys (45 percent).
The study notes that the actual visitation patterns are affected by such practical considerations as the cost of getting there, the time required to travel there, and the lodging and related expenses incurred while staying there. All other things being equal, however, the aspirations reflected in these preference measures bode well for future visitation of the listed destinations.
For more information about the results of the 2009 Ypartnership/Yankelovich National Travel MONITOR, agents can visit www.ypartnership.com.