You've got to pity the poor turkey. First, millions of 'em make the ultimate sacrifice each year in grand American ritual. Now, American travelers snub that sacrifice in lieu of a newer, more attractive holiday vacation — Christmas.
That's the news from an American Express Travel poll, which reports that the most popular time for holiday travel this year is not Thanksgiving weekend but the week between Christmas and New Year's — favored by almost 33% of travelers, versus 18% for Thanksgiving and another 8% following the new year. That's only one change in holiday travel patterns, however.
"Holiday travel has evolved considerably from the local family gathering to new, exciting adventures as travelers seize the opportunity to create lasting holiday memories," says Audrey Hendley, vice president of marketing, American Express Travel.
In addition to the shift in schedules, more than half of the agents in the poll said customers are looking for new destinations instead of the tried and true, with trends including:
• Luxury vacations at record high levels.
• An increase in five-star hotel bookings.
• More first class and business-class airline bookings.
The survey found luxury travel this holiday season has increased most among couples and families, followed by mature travelers and singles. American Express agents say that beach resort, cruise, and ski-mountain vacations top the list as favorite getaways.
Almost half of those surveyed said the top reason for taking a holiday vacation instead of staying home are that kids are off from school. Other major reasons for holiday vacations are that people are able to take time off, a desire to relax and get away from it all, and an interest in experiencing a new culture or country.
SOURCE: TravelMole, NOISE
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