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Holiday Travel - US - May 2019

OVERVIEW
What you need to know
Definitions
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 
Overview
The issues
There’s a reticence to travel over the holidays
Figure 1: Sentiment about holiday travel, by generation, February 2019
Some holiday travelers travel because they have to
Figure 2: Obligatory Traveler demographics, February 2019
Parents are at the mercy of two schedules
Figure 3: Share of households with children, by age group of children, November 2018
The opportunities
Two peaks of seasonal travel
Figure 4: Length of trip, by season, February 2019
Activities are central to vacation enjoyment
Figure 5: Opinions of holiday travel, by number of activities done, February 2019
Summer travelers tend to be older
Figure 6: Summer trip length, by generation and parental status, February 2019
What it means
THE MARKET – WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Slowing macroeconomic factors can limit travel
Work and school schedules dictate vacations
Employees angling for more time off
Most Americans are already close to home
Per-vacation spending has increased
MARKET FACTORS
GDP healthy, but stagnation is on the horizon
Figure 7: GDP change from previous period, Q1 2007-Q4 2018
DPI increases, but may face headwinds into summer
Figure 8: Disposable personal income change from previous period, January 2014-January 2019
Fuel prices remain relatively stable
Figure 9: US gasoline and diesel retail prices, January 2007-March 2019
High employment dictates travel times
Figure 10: Unemployment and underemployment, January 2007-February 2019
MARKET PERSPECTIVE
Vacations are getting shorter, more frequent
Per vacation spending high
Figure 11: Spending on domestic vacations, 2014-18
One third of households are bound by school rules
Figure 12: Share of households with children, by age group of children, November 2018
Workers want more time off
Out the driveway and down the street to mother’s house we go
INDUSTRY TRENDS – WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW 
Multigenerational travel provides a way for families to get together
Seeking tidings of comfort and joy
Travel supplier creatives are on trend . . .
. . . but timing could be better
HOLIDAY TRAVEL TRENDS
Multigenerational travel remains a strong trend
Friendsgiving
Hygge put in its place by pyt
Figure 14: VisitDenmark’s “Hygge” page, April 2019
Figure 15: Pandora “Sound On,” December 2018-January 2019
New LCC provides XTRA options outside of cities
HOLIDAY TRAVEL CREATIVES
Norwegian lets travelers customize their discount package
Figure 16: Norwegian Cruise Line direct mailer, December 2018
Disney has a smart local focus
Figure 17: Disney holiday email, November 2018
Southwest encourages flying for more holidays
Figure 18: Southwest Airlines Obscure Holiday email, April 2019
Wisconsin leans into good feelings
Figure 19: Travel Wisconsin, “Gemütlichkeit: The Spirit of Wisconsin,” March 2018
DIGITAL AD SPENDING
Spending by industry should reflect year-round travel
Airlines
Hotels
OTAs
Figure 20: Monthly digital ad spend of airlines, January-December 2018
Figure 21: Monthly spend of hotels, January-December 2018
Figure 22: Monthly spend of OTAs, January-December 2018
THE CONSUMER – WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW 
Summer vacations aren’t for the young
Changing peak cycles
One fifth of holiday travelers feel their trips are required
Hotels rule the holidays
Holidays are traffic jam sessions
Activities are connected to fulfillment
People like (but dread) holiday travel
TRAVELER SEGMENT: THE OBLIGATORY TRAVELER
Demographics of Obligatory Travelers
Figure 23: Obligatory Traveler demographics, February 2019
General sentiments of Obligatory Travelers
Figure 24: Attitudes toward holiday travel, Obligatory Travelers vs all, February 2019
TIMING OF HOLIDAY VACATIONS
Summer and Christmas are the most common holiday trips
Figure 25: Occasions for holiday travel, February 2019
Different lengths for different seasons
Figure 26: Holiday trips by length and season, February 2019
Figure 27: Length of trip, by holiday, February 2019
Twilight travelers own summer vacation
Millennials least likely to take long summer trips
Figure 28: Summer trip length, by generation and parental status, February 2019
Obligatory Travelers try to get out of Dodge
Figure 29: Length of trip, all holiday travelers vs Obligatory Travelers, by season, February 2019
WHERE HOLIDAY TRAVELERS STAY
Hotels are still the accommodation of choice
Still, travelers are open to other options
Figure 30: Outside Together ™, May 2018
Figure 31: Holiday lodging, February 2019
Airbnb can’t beat free
Figure 32: Holiday lodging – Select items, by age, February 2019
Homeshares offer parents space
Figure 33: Holiday lodging – Select items, by parental status, February 2019
Summer is for hotels, winter is for family
Figure 34: Lodging used for summer and fall/winter travel, February 2019
Obligatory Travelers try various lodging
Figure 35: Lodging used for holiday travel, all holiday travelers vs Obligatory Travelers, February 2019
HOW PEOPLE TRAVEL OVER THE HOLIDAYS
Most use a personal vehicle
Figure 36: Types of transportation used for holiday travel, February 2019
Is “rail and hail” the future?
Figure 37: Types of transportation used for holiday travel, by generation, February 2019
Urbanites have travel options, rural dwellers rely on own vehicles
Figure 38: Types of transportation used for holiday travel, by residential area, February 2019
Rural fliers may take off, but fly low
Figure 39: Travel habits and sentiment, by area, February 2019
Black travelers more likely to rent cars
Figure 40: Types of transportation used for holiday travel, by race and Hispanic origin, February 2019
HOLIDAY TRAVEL COMPANIONS
Holidays are family time
Figure 42: Holiday travel companions, by generation, February 2019
Couples retreats fall in the summer season
Figure 45: Holiday travel companions, by season, February 2019
HOLIDAY TRAVEL ACTIVITIES
Family visits are an integral part of the holiday travel experience
Figure 44: Activities done during holiday travel, February 2019
Fall and winter trips could use an activity boost
Figure 45: Activities done during holiday travel, by season, February 2019
The family that stays together, plays together
Figure 46: Holiday travel accommodations, by number of activities, February 2019
Activities are connected to fulfillment
Figure 47: Opinions of holiday travel, by number of activities done, February 2019
Do stuff!
Figure 48: Opinion of holiday travel as an obligation, by number of activities done, February 2019
HOLIDAY TRAVEL ATTITUDES
Holiday travel is generally positive
Figure 49: Sentiment about holiday travel, by generation, February 2019
People want to travel for the holidays, but dread it
Figure 50: Sentiment about holiday travel, by generation, February 2019
Travelers generally prefer their “own” vacations
Figure 51: Sentiment around visiting relatives, by generation and Millennial parent status, February 2019
Family visits become less appealing as children age
Figure 52: Attitudes toward visiting relatives, by age of children, February 2019
APPENDIX – DATA SOURCES AND ABBREVIATIONS
Data sources
Consumer survey data
Direct marketing creative
Abbreviations and terms
Abbreviations
Terms
APPENDIX – THE CONSUMER 
Figure 53: Spending on domestic vacations, 2014-18
Figure 54: Family households, by age of own children, 2018

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