Weekend Getaways Grow in Popularity
NOVEMBER 28, 2006. The idea of a quick weekend getaway increasingly appeals to Americans, with 225 million such trips taken last year, an increase of more than 10 percent in just five years, according to the Travel Industry Association's (TIA) U.S. Domestic Leisure Travel Report.
The shoulder seasons of April/May and September/October have become prime weekend getaway times (32%), about equal to the summer months (31%). Data from the report is based on the new TIA TravelScope(R)/DIRECTIONS(R) survey by DKS&A.
Weekend travelers are much more likely than the typical leisure traveler to stay in a hotel or bed & breakfast (58% vs. 44%). And because they stay just 2.2 nights on average, they don't waste any time - weekend travelers manage to include more activities on their trips than leisure travelers overall (3.2 vs. 2.6). The most popular activities during weekend trips are eating out (49%), entertainment (38%), shopping (37%), and sightseeing (35%).
"Weekend travelers spend more money, have higher incomes and participate in a greater number of activities," said Dr. Suzanne Cook, Senior Vice President of Research for TIA. "Travel packages specifically tailored to this market combine the memorable activities the short-stay traveler is looking for, such as entertainment, dining and sightseeing tours-all doable over a two- or three-day getaway."
As some may suspect, a large share of weekend trips are taken by male/female couples (43%); however, more than one-quarter of these trips are taken by families with children (28%).
Weekend getaways are more likely than other leisure trips to be taken by upper-income households, with 42 percent of such trips taken by households with incomes over $75,000. Weekend travelers spend an average of $416 on their trips, excluding the cost of transportation to their destination, compared to $360 for overall trips. Weekend travelers are mostly comprised of baby boomers, ages 35-54 (43%) and 18-34 year olds (34%).
TIA is the national, non-profit organization representing all components of the $703 billion travel industry. TIA's mission is to represent the whole of the U.S. travel industry to promote and facilitate increased travel to and within the United States.
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