TripAdvisor’s Annual Summer Travel Survey Results Revealed
Summertime is here! School’s out and all the activities that make your schedule hectic year-round are lightening up. This is the perfect time of year to take the family on a summer vacation—and according to this year’s TripAdvisor Summer Travel Survey, others agree! With over 1,800 U.S. respondents, survey results show that 86% of travelers are planning leisure trips this summer—an increase from 81% that traveled last summer.
Check out the other results of TripAdvisor’s annual survey!
Popular Destinations
According to U.S. travelers, these are the top five most popular summer destination types:
- City – 58%
- Ocean – 41%
- National Park – 20%
- Lake – 18%
- Resort – 16%
- 40% said the main reason for visiting their destination is because of tradition or it being their favorite place, while 27% are going for a new experience.
- Survey results said that New York City, Las Vegas and Chicago are the three most popular U.S. destinations for summer travel this year.
Vacation Activities
- While some travelers consider doing nothing as the perfect vacation, others do enjoy active recreation during their summer vacations. At 31%, hiking is the most popular activity, with water sports coming in as a close second with 25%.
- While on vacation, 41% of travelers will visit a historical landmark, 15% will attend a concert and 12% will ditch their diets for a food festival!
Summer Vacation Spending
- More than a quarter of the surveyed travelers (27%) said they will spend more on summer vacations than they did in 2011, while 47% said they plan on spending the same amount and 26% hope to spend less.
- 70% will stay at a hotel this summer, 31% will stay at the home of family or friends and 20% will enjoy their trip in a vacation rental home.
- With the recent declining gas prices, 70% of travelers will voyage by car, while 64% will fly.
- No need to make plans in advance—if they found a great deal, 79% of travelers would make a spontaneous trip!
“The majority of U.S. travelers are committed to their leisure summer travel plans, whether gas prices are up or down,” said Karen Drake, senior director of communications for TripAdvisor. “Even if it takes cutting back on mileage and staying closer to home, the vast majority of Americans will take summer trips.”
For an extended list of the survey results, check out TripAdvisor’s Summer Travel Survey for 2012 today!
So…where do you plan to travel to this summer?
