Habits, Behaviors of the American Traveler
Americans take on average 4.4 trips per year*. Now imagine what that number could be if they used all their vacation days instead of accruing unused PTO. According to U.S. Travel, Americans racked up 768 million days of unused PTO in 2018.
Americans take on average 4.4 trips per year*. Now imagine what that number could be if they used all their vacation days instead of accruing unused PTO. According to U.S. Travel, Americans racked up 768 million days of unused PTO in 2018.
National Plan for Vacation Day, on January 28, brings this conversation to light by encouraging Americans, at the start of the year, to plan out their vacation days for the whole year. Ahead of National #PlanForVacation Day, Expedia Group Media Solutions, the advertising organization of Expedia Group, reveals the travel habits, preferences and influences of American travelers, offering insight into how they plan for trips.
Insights include:
- Trip length: Americans take trips that are on average 6.7 days long, which is among the shortest trip duration compared to other regions - and they're mainly traveling domestically (82%)
- Open to inspiration: Americans are open-minded travelers who are deciding between two or more destinations (nearly 60%) and seeking help and inspiration during the travel planning process (nearly 80%)
- Influenced by ads: Ads with informative content are most likely to influence older American travelers, while younger generations are most likely to be influenced by advertising with appealing deals
- Social influence: Nearly 90% of American Gen Z travelers said their decisions are influenced by social media, either through searches or online connections such as family and friends - Boomers, however, say they are not influenced by social media
- Vacation priorities: While Americans look for the best deals and the most value for their dollar, they ultimately prioritize activities and experiences as most important, over lowest price, when planning a vacation
- Types of trips: Visiting family is the most important type of travel for Americans - especially for Boomers and Gen Z - followed by relaxing trips and sightseeing - most important to Millennials and Gen X
- On the road: While nearly 60% get to their destination by plane, road trips are alive and well with automobiles being the second most popular transportation option for American travelers
For more information on how Americans travel, the full research report can be viewed here, as well as a multi-generational view here.
*Multi-National Travel Trends, Expedia Group Media Solutions.
About Expedia Group Media Solutions
Expedia Group Media Solutions is the world's leading travel media network. We connect advertisers with hundreds of millions of travelers across the globe. Our exclusive first-party data on traveler trends, search behavior, and booking data provides travel marketers with unique insights to inform their strategies. We offer a full-funnel suite of solutions to help you convert travelers, and our digital experts can help you create advertising campaigns that deliver.