Slightly more Americans will be hitting the highways, skyways, railways and waterways over the Memorial Day weekend and holiday this year as compared to 2010, but higher transportation and leisure costs will influence their travel plans, according to a new survey from Deloitte.
Fuel and Air Travel Top Concerns
Financial concerns and higher gas prices are the catalyst for many respondents opting out of travelling this year, according to the survey. The top reasons respondents give for not taking an overnight leisure trip? More than one-quarter (27 percent) cite lingering financial concerns while 18 percent point to high gas prices – a number that almost doubled from last year’s survey (10 percent). Higher fuel prices are not only prompting some would-be travelers to cancel their trips, but are also leading almost six out of 10 Memorial Day weekend travelers to modify or scale down their plans to offset the increased gas expense.
Deloitte also surveyed respondents on their use of technology to access travel options. More than half (55 percent) have performed various travel-related activities online, including booking hotels or flights, researching reviews/recommendations or going to limited-time sale sites for travel deals. Among those who own a web-enabled mobile device, 24 percent have used a hotel application.
We are looking for travel suppliers to be offering some good airfare deals in the coming months, particularly to Europe. Celebrity Cruise line already came out with an offer for select Europe cruises with airfare out of various gateways for as low as $999 pp. If you are flexible with your dates, you are sure to find some great buys this summer for travel.
