Road Trips, Family Visits the New Trend in American Vacations

CHICAGO--(Business Wire)--
The great American road trip is back. After years of extravagant,
keep-up-with-the-Jones` trips, more people are strapping down and simplifying
their vacations because of the economy.

With the holiday weekend approaching, a new Mintel survey reveals over six in 10
people drove their own car-instead of flying-to their last vacation destination.
And they didn`t go anywhere overly glamorous: 62% said they spent recent
vacations with family and friends. Only 30% went to beaches and 30% visited
cities. In 2007 when the economy was stronger, fewer people reported vacationing
with family and friends (56%), while a full 42% went to cities.

Once at vacation destinations, two in five people (42%) said they lodged with
friends or relatives. Just over half (51%) stayed in a hotel, but that pales in
comparison to the 80% that said they stayed in hotels in 2007. Mintel`s recent
survey also reveals people vacationing closer to home (57%), taking shorter
trips (56%) and utilizing cheaper forms of transportation (64%) because of the
economic downturn.

"The recession is undoubtedly making more Americans shop aggressively for travel
deals and cut corners," states Chris Haack, senior analyst at Mintel. "As people
try to save money, we see a rising trend towards simpler, more `homespun`
vacations. We've even seen an increase in zoo and local theme park attendance.
People can justify shorter trips with fewer excesses, as long as they still have
the opportunity to relax and have fun."

Mintel`s survey points to relaxation as the number one goal of vacationers:
nearly three in four (72%) said they consider being able to relax completely as
an essential vacation element. On the contrary, only one in three (34%) rank a
"high standard of accommodation and facilities" as essential to their enjoyment.

In the past 12 months, 40% of survey respondents didn`t travel domestically;
many cited financial reasons.

About Mintel

Mintel is a leading global supplier of consumer, product and media intelligence.
For more than 35 years, Mintel has provided insight into key worldwide trends,
offering unique data that directly impacts client success. With offices in
Chicago, London, Belfast, Sydney, Shanghai and Tokyo, Mintel has forged a unique
reputation as a world-renowned business brand. For more information on Mintel,
please visit www.mintel.com.

Mintel International
Joanna Peot, 312-628-7946
jpeot@mintel.com

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