On Super Tuesday, we are happy to report the results early — on how you like to travel.
Yep, every time you pack a bag and hit the road, you are voting — with your dollars, and your choices. And, according to survey results released recently by online travel site Expedia, you (well, the majority of “you”) are flying less, driving more, and booking more hotel nights with the money you save by avoiding the airport.
A study released by Expedia.com on Friday reveals Americans are more likely to travel across the U.S. than the rest of the world.
Harris Interactive conducted the survey, and learned that 40 percent of Americans — especially those between 35 and 44 years old — continued to travel as much during the recent recession as they had before. For some in the travel industry, that is cause for celebration.
“We believe that Americans are proving to be resilient in a down economy, by driving instead of flying and taking more frequent, shorter trips,” Joe Megibow, VP and GM of Expedia.com, said in a news release.
On the other hand, 100% minus 40% leaves 60% of Americans whose travel habits were modified by the downturn. “Resilient” for them might mean just staying put.
Another interesting finding? What would you say if asked how you decide where to stay? The survey found that 78 percent of Americans rely on reviews to provide guidance in selecting a hotel.
But reviews from whom? You’d think the answer would be social media sites like TripAdvisor (owned by Expedia). But respondents said old-school social networks are better at earning their trust: 51 percent said their main source of lodging recommendations is friends (44 percent) and family (40 percent).
People next turn to the hotel’s own web site for reviews. What we’d really like to see is a hotel web site that said its rooms were full of bugs, the ceiling leaked, the bedding was stained with blood, and the neighbors might occasionally fire bullets through the walls. Yeah, right.
