Publication Summary

Consumer spending endured tremendous strain in 2009, and travel suffered along with most large industries. As travel companies eagerly transition from recession to recovery in 2010, understanding consumer behavior is critical. How different is the consumer travel outlook in 2010? Which travelers dropped out in 2009 and which segments represent the greatest opportunity? How do individual attitudes and opinions shape what and where consumers book?

PhoCusWright's Consumer Travel Report Second Edition provides an overview of the status of consumer travel in the U.S., and insights into key indicators for the upcoming year. The report explores a range of topics, including general travel behavior and channel usage, and analyzes differences between key consumer segments. Based on an online survey of more than 2,500 U.S. travelers, the report examines U.S. travelers who play an active role in planning their trips. PhoCusWright's Consumer Travel Report Second Edition includes:

• Examination of general traveler behavior, including trip frequency and duration, travel spend and intentions for the upcoming year
• Analysis of the key trends shaping lodging and air travel, as well as the incidence of other travel components such as car rental, vacation packages, cruise and rail travel
• Summary of how consumers approach the travel planning process—destination selection, shopping and purchasing—as well as how consumers share their experiences after their trips
• Overview of how travelers choose their trip destinations, and the extent to which destination selection is made independently or influenced by others
• Detailed review of the information sources and features that influence consumers' travel shopping and decision making
• Analysis of Internet booking behavior, as well as booking channels by travel component
• Discussion of key psychographic trends and consumers' attitudes toward travel

In 2009, significantly fewer people traveled than in 2008, and those that did travel spent less. The recession made deep cuts in consumers' wallets as well as their confidence, and both will take time to heal. However, as U.S. travelers look ahead, the general sentiment is more positive than it was a year ago.

Position Your Company for 2010 and Beyond
Purchase PhoCusWright's Consumer Travel Report Second Edition to gain unique insight into U.S. travelers' behavior, attitudes and expectations.

An audio/video recording and presentation deck from the May 26 Online Event, Cutting Losses, Rebuilding Confidence: Key U.S. Traveler Insights is available here (US$199). This event provides an overview of the status of consumer travel in the U.S., and insights into key indicators for the upcoming year.

Table of Contents

64 Pages

Section 1: Overview, Methodology and Research Highlights
Overview
Methodology and U.S. Traveler Population Projection
Research Highlights

Section 2: Strategic Implications
Generation Y Still Represents the Most Promising Target for the Long Term
Sorry, Travel—Boomers Just Aren't That Into You
Slow and Low—That is the Tempo
OTA Fee Cuts Hit the Mark…
…But Fees Aren't Everything
Exception or Evolution?
Inconsistency Breeds Inefficiency
A Case for Chains

Section 3: General Travel Behavior
Overall Travel Incidence
- Quick Stats
Income Distribution
Trip Frequency
- Quick Stats
Trip Duration
- Quick Stats
Annual Household Travel Spend
- Quick Stats
Other General Travel Behaviors
- Quick Stats
Travel Party Makeup
International Travel

Section 4: Travel Component Incidence and Intentions
Lodging and Air Travel Incidence
- Quick Stats
Types of Lodging
- Quick Stats

Section 5: The Travel Planning Process
- Quick Stats

Section 6: The Destination Selection Phase
- Quick Stats

Section 7: The Shopping Phase
- Quick Stats

Section 8: The Travel Purchase Phase
Online vs. Offline Purchasing
- Quick Stats
Component Channel Purchase Behavior
- Quick Stats
OTA Shopping-to-Purchase Defectors
- Quick Stats

Section 9: Psychographics
Technology Adoption
- Quick Stats
Traveling On or Off the Beaten Path
- Quick Stats
Preference for Control
- Quick Stats
Enjoyment of Discussing Travel Experiences
- Quick Stats

Appendix: Survey Respondent Demographical Information

LIST OF TABLES

U.S. Traveler Population
Intentions for General Travel Behavior
Incidence of Travel, by Age
Importance of Travel to Lifestyle, by Age
Income Distribution Change 2008-2009
Frequency of Leisure and Business Trips
Income Distribution Change 2008-2009
Travel Frequency Intentions by Number of Leisure Trips Taken in Prior Year
Duration of Leisure Trips
Trip Duration Intentions by Longest Trip Taken in Prior Year
Annual Household Travel Spend
Trip Budget Intentions by Annual Household Travel Spend in Prior Year
Annual Household Travel Spend and Travel Incidence by Age

Trip Budget Intentions for 2009 and 2010, by Age

Travel Party Composition

International Travel Incidence

Desire to Travel the World, by Age

Lodging and Air Traveler Incidence

Annual Household Travel Spend and Trip Frequency by Lodging and Air Traveler Incidence
Intentions for Travel Product Consumption
Enjoyment of Lodging and Air Travel

Intentions for Travel Product Consumption, by Enjoyment

Travel Component Purchase Incidence

Usage of Lodging Types

Number of Lodging Types Used, by Annual Household Travel Spend

Usage of Lodging Types, by Annual Household Travel Spend

Internet Usage for Destination Selection, Shopping, Purchase and Sharing (Typical Behavior)

Incidence of Internet Usage in the Travel Planning Process and Annual Household Travel Spend

Number of Web Sites Used, by Phase
Mean Number of Web Sites Used, by Planning Phase and Annual Household Travel Spend
Destination Selection Categories and Mean Number of Trips Taken

Motivation for Last Trip to an Independently Selected Destination

Information Sources for Destination Selection
Web Sites Used for Destination Selection
Sources of Information Used in Shopping Phase, by Consistency With Typical Planning Behavior (Last Trip)

Web Sites Used for Shopping (Last Trip), by Incidence of Taking a Flight

Sources of Information Used in Shopping Phase (Last Trip), by Annual Household Travel Spend

Web Site Choice Motivation

Web Site Choice Motivation, by Annual Household Travel Spend
Influence of Online Features
Influence of Online Features ("Very Influential"), by Annual Household Travel Spend

General Travel Booking Channel
General Travel Booking Channel, by Technology Adoption
Reasons to Book Leisure Travel Offline

Typical Purchase Methods
Purchase Method Used by Online Travel Agency Shoppers and 2009 Annual Household Travel Spend

Early Technology Adoption, by Age

Annual Household Travel Spend, by Technology Adoption

Importance of Travel to Lifestyle, by Technology Adoption
Traveling On or Off the Beaten Path, by Technology Adoption

Annual Household Travel Spend, by Preference for Traveling On or Off the Beaten Path

Preference for Complete Control, by Technology Adoption

Enjoyment of Discussing Travel Experiences

Influence of Online Features ("Very Influential"), by Enjoyment of Discussing Travel Experiences