New York City, Orlando and Chicago top travelers’ lists; Children ages 6-12 have greatest involvement in picking trip destinations
If your summer vacation this year brings you to a big city, lasts for four days, and includes a destination that your son or daughter picked, don’t be surprised.
Marriott International’s newly released Second Annual U.S. Summer Travel Trends Report says that travelers are favoring cities over beaches in Summer 2018 and planning to take an average of two trips. And among families with children, it’s becoming more common for the kids to pick the destination, the report shows.
“Pack your walking shoes because for the second year in a row, city destinations are at the top of travelers’ lists,” said Brian King, Global Officer, Digital, Distribution & Global Sales, Marriott International. “Travelers are heading to the cities to soak up the summer sun in urban destinations like New York City and Chicago which come alive in the summer with amazing food, festivals, and live outdoor concerts.”
So where are people going this summer? Here’s a peak at the top five destinations for vacations this summer’s most heavily traveled weekends, based on an analysis of over 1 million Marriott.com searches and bookings:
Memorial Day Weekend Travel
The first official holiday weekend of summer promises to be a busy one when it comes to weekend getaways. The top five most booked cities for Memorial Day Weekend travel topping the list:
- New York City
- Orlando
- Atlanta
- Chicago
- San Diego
Outside of the United States, Marriott International found that the top two most searched international destinations in the Americas for Memorial Day travel were Toronto and Cancun.
Independence Day Exploration
With Independence Day falling on a Wednesday this year, it’s the perfect time to plan an extended vacation. The study found that half of consumers report taking their longest vacation of the year in the summer, with the top five most booked destinations for festivities including:
- Houston
- New York City
- Orlando
- Seattle
- Chicago
Summer Weekend Getaways
According to the survey results, consumers are planning to take an average of 4.4 days off and families with children have more days off and leisure trips planned for this summer. Major cities, beaches and national parks are the top three reasons travelers will be selecting certain destinations this summer. The five most booked cities reflect travelers’ wide variety of leisure travel interests, with top choices being:
- New York City
- Chicago
- Orlando
- Atlanta
- Seattle
JW Marriott Orlando, Grande Lakes
Marriott’s study also found that, similar to international Fourth of July travel, Toronto and Vancouver were two of the top choices for international non-holiday summer weekend getaways.
In addition, Marriott’s survey also reported on notable summer travel trends:
Summer Travel
– US consumers are planning to take an average of two leisure trips this summer – Half of consumers report taking their longest vacation of the year in the summer – The beach, pool, and restaurant are the top three favorite summer hotel amenities – Meals, visiting attractions, exploring places, and outdoor activities are the top ways to reconnect with family – Millennials are more likely to increase their number of leisure trips this year vs. last year – Visiting a city, beach, or state/national park are the top three planned travel destinations while 12 percent are heading to a vineyard or brewery
Family Travel
– Family travel is set to be more popular than ever this year, and 64% of these families reported taking their longest vacation of the year during the summer – On average, families with children have more days off and leisure trips planned for this summer – Children ages 6-12 tend to have the heaviest involvement in selecting trip destinations – Almost half of parents restrict the time their children spend with TV and digital devices while on vacation with 22 percent saying no devices on vacation
All data is from over 1 million Marriott.com searches and bookings, as well as a digital survey of more than 2,000 individuals 18 and over, to determine summer travel preferences between Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends. The inaugural U.S. Summer Travel Trends Report was released in 2017.
Explore travel destinations, activities and experiences with summer rates throughout the Americas: www.marriott.com www.spg.com
