Our lives are quite intertwined with online travel agencies. Frequently, we will take calls from a consumer who at the same time is looking at OTAs in their computer for real time price comparison. We also have personal relationships with executives at all the “OTAs” and we think of them as really smart and hard-working people. So we pay attention to their research in part to support our planning activities.
In a recent priceline.com survey, 86% of the respondents said they were going to take a vacation this year, and 68% of them said that a "staycation" wasn't going to fill the bill. The majority of respondents said they would vacation outside their home state. In our contact center our phones are double digit busier than last year because our client partners are aggressively marketing to their customers.
Expedia, Inc owned Hotels.com recently released survey results related to how travelers are vacationing this summer and what's on their minds as they prepare for their trips. Among those polled who are planning a summer vacation, nearly two-thirds (63%) will be staying at a hotel or other kind of rental property, like a condo or resort. Despite tough economic times, only 33% plan to stay with friends and family. And how about “The cost of getting away”? – 60% of those polled think it will be more expensive to travel this summer than last, while 18% feel it will be less expensive. 22% feel costs will be about the same.
Our phones are double digit busier this summer than last. And it matters less if people are considering Walley World or a private villa on Maui. People are feeling a need to invest in renewal and vacations and that is the best news a company like Trase Miller could get!
