On The Road...Again

roadtrip

The American road trip is back! For years families planned and spent on extravagant vacations reaching the far corners of the world. But lately, more and more people are tying their luggage to the roof and hitting the road.

A new Mintel survey shows that over six in 10 people drove their own car instead of flying to their last vacation destination. Sixty-two percent said they spent recent vacations with family and friends. Only 30 percent went to beaches, and 30 percent visited cities.

Upon arrival, 42 percent said they stayed with friends or relatives. Fifty-one percent stayed in hotels. This is nothing compared to the 80 percent that stayed in hotels in 2007.

"The recession is  undoubtedly making more Americans shop aggressively for travel deals and cut corners," says Chris Haack, senior analyst at Mintel. "As people try to save money, we see a rising trend towards simpler, more 'homespun' vacations. We've even seen an increase in zoo and local theme park attendance. People can justify shorter trips with fewer excesses, as long as they still have the opportunity to relax and have fun."