TripAdvisor study offers glimpse of 2009 Trends

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(comScore)- TripAdvisor, the world’s largest travel community, today announced the results of its annual travel trends survey of more than 3,000 U.S. travelers. The primary trends identified are that travelers appear to be going lean and green by visiting national parks, hiking, and engaging in adventure activities. A greater amount of Americans said they will be environmentally conscious in their travel decisions in 2009, and more plan to visit eco-friendly hotels in the coming year.

Thirty-four percent of U.S. respondents said they will visit an environmentally-friendly hotel or resort in the coming year, up from 30 percent in 2008. Thirty-two percent of those surveyed said they will be more environmentally conscious in their travel decisions this year, than they were the year before. Last year, 26 percent said they would be more environmentally conscious.

"An emerging trend is travelers getting greener. They plan to be more environmentally-conscious, and will be more active outdoors this year, taking advantage of some of the outstanding resources in the U.S., such as our beautiful national parks," said Michele Perry, vice president of global communications for TripAdvisor. "For those interested in going farther afield, TravelCast’s top emerging world destination is Budoni, Sardinia, a breathtaking beach destination in Italy."

Seventy-three percent of U.S. respondents said they plan to visit a national park in 2009, up from 62 percent one year ago. Fifty-three percent will go hiking in the coming year, up from 50 percent last year. Forty-seven percent of those surveyed plan to engage in an adventure activity, an increase from 40 percent in 2008. Thirty-three percent of travelers will go cycling and biking, up from 28 percent, and 11 percent of travelers are likely to participate in an extreme sports activity, compared to eight percent one year ago.

Eighty-seven percent said they will visit an historic site, up from 84 percent in 2008. Thirty-six percent will engage in an educational activity on vacation, up from 34 percent last year.

TripAdvisor also unveiled its TravelCast list of emerging hotspots for 2009, and atop the list is Budoni, in Sardinia, Italy. The top emerging hotspot in the U.S. is St. George, Utah.

Fuel a Factor
Sixty-one percent of travelers said the cost of fuel is an important consideration when choosing where to go on their next vacation. Eighteen percent of respondents said they will take more car trips this year because of declining fuel prices.

Some more "fun stats"

• Eighteen percent of travelers said they are taking a "staycation" this coming year.
• Twenty percent of travelers have taken items from a hotel, such as towels, flatware, or decorative pieces.
• Fifteen percent of respondents have been to a clothing-optional or adults-only resort.
• Fifty-two percent of travelers said it takes them less than one day to unwind.
• Thirty-four percent of travelers are uncomfortable with the new full body scanners used by some airport security.
• Fifty-one percent of those surveyed said they spent more than they budgeted on travel in the past 12 months.
• Fifty percent said unfavorable exchange rates will prevent them from or limit their travel to Europe in the next 12 months.
• Sixty-one percent of travelers will visit a beach destination in 2009, 60 percent will go city sightseeing.
• Budoni, in Sardinia, Italy is TravelCast’s Next Hot Spot in 2009.

TripAdvisor(TM) TravelCast is a barometer of what’s hot in travel destinations. TripAdvisor engineers have developed a proprietary algorithm that looks at several criteria including changes in search activity and postings throughout the world’s largest travel community, http://www.tripadvisor.com . The TravelCast then predicts the rising stars in travel. The top three emerging world hotspots for travel are Budoni, Sardinia, Agia Galini, Crete and Petra, Jordan.

About TripAdvisor Media Network
TripAdvisor(R) Media Network, operated by TripAdvisor, LLC, attracts more than 32 million monthly visitors across 12 popular travel brands. TripAdvisor-branded sites make up the largest travel community in the world, with more than 25 million monthly visitors*, six million registered members and 15 million reviews and opinions.

Featuring real advice from real travelers, TripAdvisor-branded sites cover 300,000+ hotels and attractions and operate in the U.S., the U.K., Ireland, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and India. TripAdvisor is a registered trademark of TripAdvisor LLC in the U.S. and/or other countries.
*Source: comScore Media Metrix, July 2008

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