A couple of recent travel trends:
Nationwide, hotel occupancy levels have been hovering around 65%, down about 5% from last year, according to STR. But business in particular areas--like Maui in Hawaii, which is almost entirely dependent on air travel--has "already fallen off a cliff," said John Arabia, an analyst for Green Street Advisors. (Page C1, New York Times)
AMEX POLL FINDS PERSONAL INTERESTS DRIVE TRAVEL. From jetting overseas for a culinary experience to a desire to learn life-enriching skills while on vacation, travelers are intent on continuing to pursue travel experiences that allow them to indulge in their personal interests despite the softening economy, according to a recent survey by American Express Travel. Indeed, 57% of the 501 U.S. adults surveyed indicated that the number of vacations involving one or more personal "passions" would either remain the same or increase over the next two years; of those, 28% indicated that they expect the number to increase. At least 60% of respondents said that even though they feel the U.S. economy is currently in or edging toward a recession, travel is so important to their mental health and lifestyle that they have not let economic concerns impact their plans. (www.ModernAgent.com, 7/30)
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