SMYRNA, Ga. – The summer travel season is officially here, and it looks as though a majority of Americans will be taking a leisure trip of some sort.
“We continue to see an uptick in leisure travel as consumer confidence in the economy and job security strengthens,” Adam Weissenberg, vice chairman and leader of the tourism, hospitality and leisure sector for Deloitte LLP, said in a news release.
Surveys from Deloitte and American Express indicate more than half of Americans have a summer trip in their plans. The American Express Spending & Saving Tracker, for example, indicated 51 percent of Americans are planning a summer trip while the Deloitte survey found that 59 percent have a summer trip in mind.
“The summer vacation, and particularly, the family vacation is alive and well this year,” Audrey Hendley, vice president of American Express Travel, said in a news release. “People are passionate about travel, and frequently we find that they would rather find creative ways to reduce the cost of their trip rather than do without it altogether. Other investments this summer tend to be around parents finding experiences and activities for their children at home – ensuring a fun-packed summer.”
Another survey – from TripAdvisor – is even more optimistic, finding that 91 percent of people are planning a leisure trip this summer – a slight increase from the 89 percent of Americans who planned to travel last year.
“Volcanoes and a volatile stock market can’t keep travelers from hitting the road this summer to enjoy some time away from home,” Christine Petersen, chief marketing officer for TripAdvisor, said in a news release. “Both city and seashore breaks look to be equally popular with Americans in the coming months, and with some three in four travelers planning to spend the same amount or more than last year, it seems that few will sacrifice their summer adventures.”
According to the TripAdvisor New York City, Las Vegas, Myrtle Beach, Orlando and San Francisco ranked as the top-searched domestic destinations for hotels.
