Steep price cuts to spur values for autumn travelers
Expedia.com, the world's leading online travel site, released the fall issue of the
Expedia Travel Trendwatch. This issue of the Trendwatch shows that the significant travel values consumers enjoyed over the summer will remain in place through the fall travel season. Additionally, an overall decline in business travel since 2008 continues to create opportunities for leisure travelers in major destinations that traditionally have depended on "road warriors" for fall revenue.
The report also highlights the affordability of major domestic destinations this fall, as well as the best value European destinations and a sneak-peek at holiday travel trends.
"Our research shows that travelers are going to find a wealth of values in the fall season," said
Tim MacDonald, senior vice president and general manager of Expedia.com.
"We're seeing significant year-over-year average price reductions on flights and hotels to some of the most popular destinations around the world, and travelers will save even more when they book those components together."
The complete Expedia Travel Trendwatch can be found at www.expedia.com/tips. Key highlights from this issue include:
1. Overall Decline in Business Travel Creates Opportunity for Savings
- Business travelers still hitting the road are finding that lower prices are allowing them to extend business trips into leisure trips. In fact, in a survey of frequent Expedia® travelers, 22 percent plan to combine a business trip with leisure travel this fall.
- Top business travel destinations are responding to the decline in business travel by offering significant values in air + hotel package prices. Average package prices have declined 29 percent year-over-year in New York, 22 percent in Los Angeles and 17 percent in Chicago.
2. Thanksgiving Travel Preview
- Due to continuing air capacity cuts, expect holiday flights to be crowded and sold out. The best holiday travel advice? Consumers should book early, especially if they plan to travel on peak days such as the days and weekends just before and after the holiday.
- Silver lining: if consumers book Thanksgiving travel now, flight prices are currently lower than last year. On average, domestic airfares are down 17 percent compared to last year, for travel Nov. 23-30.
- Average airfares to the following destinations are lower for the Thanksgiving travel period: Washington, D.C.: down 22 percent; New York: down 21 percent; and Los Angeles: down 18 percent.
3. Tip: Hit the Road on a Fall Foliage Getaway
- Twenty-one percent of Expedia customers polled are planning to take a road trip this fall. A road trip to check out fall foliage or a regional harvest festival is the perfect fall getaway for any family.
- Some of the most popular places in the U.S. to see fall colors are also seeing lower hotel rates this year. For example, in Boston hotel rates are down 19 percent compared to last fall; in Aspen, rates are down 11 percent; and in Vermont rates are down 9 percent.
Theodore Koumelis
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Tuesday, October 06, 2009