Americans Eager for Autumn Travel and Fall-ing Airfares

/PRNewswire/ -- TripAdvisor , the world's most popular and largest travel community, today announced its fall and Labor Day travel survey of more than 2,400 U.S. travelers. Eighty-four percent of travelers plan to take leisure trips this fall, up from 82 percent one year ago, and 43 percent said they will be traveling more this autumn than last.

(South) Carolina on My Mind

Below are the top 10 regions that the millions of travelers on TripAdvisor.com have been browsing in the past month, suggesting these may be some spectacular spots to see this fall.

Top 10 Most Browsed Regions on TripAdvisor in the Past Month

1. Coastal South Carolina
2. Jersey Shore
3. Florida Keys
4. Cape Cod
5. Southwest Gulf Coast
6. Florida Panhandle
7. Texas Gulf Coast
8. North Carolina Coast
9. Monterey Peninsula
10. Napa Valley

Sun-Shiny Airfares

Florida also looks to be a fall hotspot as five of the top 10 most-searched U.S. cities with airfares currently under $199 were in Florida.

Top 10 Most Searched Cities in August Currently with Airfares Under $199*

1. Orlando
2. Las Vegas
3. Fort Lauderdale
4. Tampa
5. Miami
6. Atlanta
7. New York
8. Denver
9. Fort Myers
10. Boston

Deal Me In

Sixty-nine percent of survey respondents said they are likely to take a spontaneous trip this fall if they found a great deal on a flight. Thirty-one percent said they'll probably book a trip this fall due to some of the great flights deals currently available, and 11 percent said they will definitely book a trip as a result of the recent favorable pricing. Thirty-three percent are putting off making fall travel plans until they find the right deal.

Laboring On

Thirty percent of respondents said they are traveling this coming Labor Day weekend, nearly equal to 31 percent one year ago. Seventy percent of travelers expect to drive to their destinations this Labor Day and 49 percent plan to travel more than 300 miles for the holiday.

Travelers Taking Two

The greatest percentage of travelers (42 percent) said they are planning two leisure trips this fall, and 32 percent said they are planning one leisure trip for the coming season.

Dollars and Sense

Thirty-eight percent of travelers said they'll spend more on their leisure travel this fall than last, while 44 percent said they expect to spend the same amount as a year ago.

Saving Grace

The number one way travelers plan to save money on their leisure travel this fall is by spending more time researching travel deals in advance, according to 45 percent. Thirty percent plan to save by eating at less expensive restaurants, 29 percent will save by staying with family, and 26 percent will visit free attractions.

Show Me the Maple

When asked what fall activities they will do this year, the most popular choice (44 percent) was viewing fall foliage. Here are the top five fall activities, according to the survey:

Top Five Fall Activities

1. View colorful fall foliage- 44%
2. Visit a state/county fair or fall festival- 28%
3. Go wine tasting/visit a vineyard- 26%
4. Go to a football game- 23%
5. Visit a beer festival/Oktoberfest- 14%


Other Fall Travel Tidbits
-- Twelve percent of travelers think the new airline passenger Bill of
Rights will make them more likely to fly this fall.
-- Fourteen percent think the H1N1 virus could affect their fall travel
plans.
-- Twenty-two percent think hurricane season could affect their fall
travel plans.

"Travelers are clearly excited about some great deals on flights this fall and sound ready to jump when the price is right," said Christine Petersen, chief marketing officer for TripAdvisor. "Based on what travelers are researching on TripAdvisor recently, it appears the Carolinas and Florida may be travel hot spots this fall."

*Reflects fares since August 1, 2009. Fares to these destinations from multiple origins in the U.S.

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Las Vegas Tops List as Most Popular U.S. Destination as Orbitz Looks Back at Travel Trends in 2008

T2F Note: Congrats to Atlanta for making the top 10. Of course, we've always been attracted to the city.

/PRNewswire/ -- As 2008 draws to a close, Orbitz (http://www.orbitz.com/), a leading online travel site, takes a retrospective look back with its latest Insider Index to offer insight into when and where Americans spent their travel dollars this year.

"By looking back at travel data in 2008, we can identify trends that will help consumers make smart decision in travel planning for the year ahead," said Jeanenne Tornatore, public relations director for Orbitz Worldwide. "For example, those who want to travel when they can find bargains should look to the slower travel periods when destinations have fewer crowds."

Busiest Travel Weeks

While last year (2007), the July 4th week topped the Orbitz list of busiest travel weeks, Thanksgiving has historically been the busiest travel period of the year, and 2008 was no exception. For travelers looking to avoid the long lines at the airport, the slowest travel week of the year is still upon us, with the week of December 29 coming in as the least busy travel week of 2008.

The busiest travel weeks of 2008(1) were:

1. Thanksgiving
2. July 4th
3. Christmas
4. Memorial Day
5. Third week of March

(1)Based on Orbitz.com hotel and package (air + hotel) bookings as of
11/26/08


Top Holiday Weekend Destinations

With the long-weekends becoming an easy way to escape for more and more Americans, the Index also examines where these weekenders spent their time and travel dollars in 2008. The Orbitz Index looked at travel over a four-day period for Presidents' Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day and Labor Day.

Top Holiday Weekend Destinations(2)

2008 2007

1 Las Vegas 7

2 New York 1

3 Chicago 2

4 Orlando N/A

5 San Francisco 9

6 Washington, D.C. 4

7 Miami N/A

8 Los Angeles 3

9 Boston 8

10 Atlanta 6

(2)Based on Orbitz.com hotel and package (air + hotel) bookings during
1/18/08-1/21/08, 2/15/08-2/18/08, 5/23/08-5/26/08, 7/3/08-7/6/08,
8/29/08-9/1/08; based on Orbitz hotel and package (air + hotel)
bookings as of 11/26/08



Top Domestic Destinations

With so many enticing deals to this destination in 2008, it's no surprise that Las Vegas lured the most travelers, moving this vibrant city up six spots to top this year's list. The Big Apple and Windy City round out the top three most popular destinations.

Top Domestic Destinations(3)

2008 2007

1 Las Vegas 6

2 New York 2

3 Chicago 1

4 San Francisco 9

5 Miami N/A

6 Los Angeles 3

7 Orlando 10

8 Washington, D.C. 4

9 Boston 8

10 Atlanta 7

(3)Based on Orbitz.com hotel and package (air + hotel) bookings as of
11/26/08



Most Popular Airfare Routes for 2008

With so much volatility in the airline industry in 2008, from rising gas prices to decreasing capacity, the fluctuating price of airfares was a focus of much discussion among consumers. This retrospective Orbitz Index reveals the average prices travelers actually paid for airfares on Orbitz.com for some of the most popular flight routes in 2008, ranging from $156 to $404.

In June, Orbitz announced the launch of a new service, Orbitz Price Assurance, created to help ease travelers' concerns about the fluctuating prices of airfares. With Orbitz Price Assurance, if the price drops for a plane ticket booked on Orbitz.com and another customer subsequently books the same airline ticket on Orbitz.com for less, Orbitz will automatically send travelers a cash refund for the difference.

Average Airfare for Top Routes(4)
Rank Departing Airport Arrival Airport Average Airfare for 2008

1 Los Angeles
International
Airport JFK International Airport $404

2 JFK International Los Angeles
Airport International Airport $398

3 O'Hare
International McCarran
Airport International Airport $246

4 La Guardia Airport O'Hare International
Airport $310

5 O'Hare
International
Airport La Guardia Airport $293

6 O'Hare
International Phoenix Sky Harbor
Airport International Airport $321

7 San Francisco
International McCarran
Airport International Airport $183

8 Los Angeles
International San Francisco
Airport International Airport $156

9 JFK International San Francisco
Airport International Airport $396

10 San Francisco
International JFK International
Airport Airport $399

(4)Based on Orbitz.com bookings as of 11/26/08

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Strategies for Snagging a Ski Season Deal

(ARA) - Last year marked a record-setting ski season for American resorts with 60.5 million skier visits, according to the National Ski Areas Association. This year, many ski enthusiasts are faced with tighter budgets and new economic challenges that have them searching for ways to save without giving up their annual trip to the mountains.

When looking to cut vacation costs, it all starts during the booking process. Top travel experts share the following tips for ski savings:

* Consider your lodging location. While “ski in/ski out” locations offer the convenience of walking out the door and hopping on the lift, opting for lodging a little further from the mountain can save you cash. And most ski resorts offer free shuttle services with stops throughout town, so getting to the slopes is not a hassle.

* Look for alternative lodging. For families and groups, alternative lodging like vacation rentals – homes, condos, cabins – can be much less expensive than booking multiple hotel rooms. Check out vacationrentals.orbitz.com for more than 30,000 properties around the world.

* Ski on off-peak dates. Busy holiday weekends, including Christmas, and Martin Luther King and President’s weekends, can be more expensive and very busy. If you want to save money and avoid long lift lines, think “off peak.” Consider weekday versus weekend trips and you’ll save even more.

Low Prices at Popular Destinations

Online travel Web site, Orbitz (www.orbitz.com) has pulled together a list of the top ski destinations for the 2008-2009 ski season. Lake Tahoe takes the top spot while Colorado makes a strong showing with six of its most popular destinations on the list.

The good news is that popular doesn’t always mean expensive. For example, even as Lake Tahoe continues to remain skier’s favorite destination, it still offers the lowest average daily hotel rate of any ranking destination.

Top destinations and their average daily hotel rate are:
1. Lake Tahoe - $116
2. Breckenridge, Colo. – $225
3. Park City, Utah - $239
4. Vail, Colo. - $286
5. Aspen, Colo. - $227
6. Keystone, Colo. - $149
7. Winter Park, Colo. - $193
8. Whistler, British Columbia - $292
9. Banff, Alberta - $189
10. Steamboat Springs, Colo. - $204

With ski season lasting well into the early months of spring, there are many opportunities to grab up the perfect ski vacation package at the right price. By searching for deals in even the most popular ski locations, every traveler’s budget can be accommodated this ski season.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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