This Valentine's Day, ditch the chocolates and roses, Orbitz says. According to a recent survey by Orbitz, nearly 80 percent of consumers have never received a romantic getaway for Valentine's Day and would rather be whisked away than to receive traditional gifts like flowers and candy.
This year, the holiday of love and romance is just a day away from the Presidents Day long weekend, Orbitz notes, giving couples an excuse to sneak away for a romantic getaway.
To help, Orbitz is offering its annual list of Sexiest Cities, topped by #1 pick, Las Vegas – which is also the most booked destination for the long weekend; #2, Miami; and third-place winner New Orleans.
"With Valentine's Day backing into the Presidents Day weekend this year it is easy to plan a long romantic weekend getaway," said Orbitz Senior Travel Editor Jeanenne Tornatore.
"In a recent Orbitz survey, long weekends were a part of nearly three-fourths of Americans' vacation strategy with 71 percent taking the same or more long weekend vacations over the previous year.Travelers are increasingly working their vacation banks to their advantage and planning multiple long-weekend trips to different destinations, instead of just one long vacation," Tornatore said.
As part of last year's Take Vacation Back campaign, Orbitz said it s declaring that it is the "Official Travel Site of the Long Weekend," dedicated to helping all Americans get the most out of their vacation days. Consumers can score exclusive deals, giveaways and find tips on getting an affordable long weekend at www.orbitz.com/longweekend.
To kick it off, Orbitz is offering not-to-miss Valentine's Day and Presidents Day deals from coast to coast. Book now until February 17, 2013 and save 15 percent off select hotels using promo code: PREZ15.
Most Popular Destinations for Valentine's Day/Presidents Day Weekend:
By comparing 2012 vs. 2013 hotel bookings for Valentine's Day through Presidents Day weekend, Orbitz found:
• New destinations to the 2013 list include Miami and Houston while sunny Cancun and San Diego fell off the list
• New Orleans and Las Vegas are showing the biggest decrease in hotel rates with savings of 35 percent and 7 percent respectively
• Atlantic City is new to the list and has a lot for travelers to see with new hotels, shows and a resurgence since Superstorm Sandy
• With Mardi Gras and the Big Game revelry concluded, New Orleans will be slightly quieter, which makes for attractive hotel deals over the holiday weekend.
Sexiest Domestic and International Cities: When asked what makes a city sexy, Orbitz said respondents are equally enthralled with the location/scenery (32%) and its personality as represented by architecture and quaint neighborhoods (32%).
Other stimulating factors declaring a city's sexiness include its culture (13%), the people (11%) and nightlife (9%). When selecting a hotel, travelers look for the following amenities to help set the mood: champagne and chocolates upon arrival (34%), breakfast in bed (27%) and couples spa services (26%).
Visit www.orbitz.com