Post-Recession Hangover Lingers for Travelers in the U.S. and Europe

Although the U.S. and many countries in Europe have officially put the global economic recession behind them, consumer travel indicators remain mixed. According to an upcoming Phocuswright European and Global Edition report – Destination Unknown: How U.S. and European Travelers Decide Where to Go 2013 – comparing leisure travel dynamics in the U.S. and key European markets, traveler ambivalence reigns on both sides of the pond.

Destination Unknown: How U.S. and European Travelers Decide Where to Go 2013 analyzes the leisure travel and destination selection patterns in the U.S., France, Germany and the U.K. While travel incidence remained flat or increased slightly from 2012-2013 in both the U.S. and Europe, travel-spend performance varied by market. U.K. and German travelers spent €200-300 more on average, while spend in the U.S. and France dropped US$235 and €154, respectively.

"In addition to overall travel incidence and spend, market-level changes in the incidence of independent destination selectors – a key segment for destination marketers – can provide clues to overall traveler sentiment," says John DiStefano, Phocuswright's senior director, research. "As consumers grow more confident, they are often more likely to indulge in a leisure trip of their own design."

With the exception of Germany, the incidence of independent destination selection was flat or down across markets. The trend was most pronounced in the U.S., where just 57% of U.S. travelers chose their own leisure destination in 2013, versus 60% the previous year. As in previous years, European travelers were significantly more likely than their U.S. counterparts to choose their own destination when traveling for leisure, due in part to greater available vacation time.

On a positive note, a growing share of travelers in the U.S. and Europe is dusting off their passports and venturing abroad. The incidence of international travel increased among U.S. travelers from 2012 to 2013, and more travelers in the U.K. and Germany took trips to other European countries.

Phocuswright's Destination Unknown: How U.S. and European Travelers Decide Where to Go 2013 provides detailed insight into the influencers and information sources impacting vacation destination selection among U.S. and European travelers. In addition to outlining key trends in leisure travel behavior in the U.S., France, Germany and the U.K., the report explores how the process of destination selection is evolving, tracking year-over-year shifts in the information sources, online features and websites used when travelers are deciding where to go.

Report topics include:

• Overall consumer travel trends in each market, including travel incidence, frequency and duration of trips, international travel and trip expenditure
• Destination selection patterns for domestic and international travelers (distinguishing between European travelers who travel within versus outside of Europe)
• Timing of when travelers choose their destination and the specialized process that sets destination selection apart from other travel decisions
• Motivators for selecting a travel destination and specific sources of influence
• Information sources and websites used
• Discussion of the most influential types of social media and online features in each market

Purchase Phocuswright's Destination Unknown: How U.S. and European Travelers Decide Where to Go 2013 to master market differences and influence the destination selection process.