A collaborative study by the U.S. Travel Association, Oxford Economics, and Ipsos shared some startling statistics with the travel industry this month. They report that in 2018, American workers left 768 million vacation days on the table – and about 30% of them (236 million) were forfeited completely. Some see that as one of the more troublesome travel trends of 2018, but others (including us) choose to see it as an exceptional opportunity.
Unpacking the 2018 Travel Trends
The U.S. Travel Association reported that “Americans took 1.8 billion domestic leisure trips, whose $650 billion in spending supported 5.5 million American jobs.” That’s an impressive number – for sure.
But, with 83% of Americans reporting the desire to use their vacation time to travel, there’s a huge economic opportunity in the travel and tourism industry that’s been left on the table – $151.5 billion, in fact. If only we could find ways to overcome the barriers that are keeping so many Americans on-the-clock instead of lounging by the hotel pool in a luxury cabana.
So, you may be wondering, “what are the top barriers to travel?”
- Cost (52%)
- Too hard to get away from work (13%)
- Air travel hassles (13%)
- Logistical planning and coordination (7%)
- Driving hassles (7%)
- Flight availability/options (5%)
- Safety and security concerns (4%)
Interpreting the 2018 Travel Trends
As you think about ways to market your hotel or resort, these travel trends give you some valuable information about how to position your property to potential guests. This is especially true for properties located in towns and cities that aren’t necessarily considered “travel destinations.”
The top two barriers to travel are cost and difficulty getting away from work. But, if you position yourself as a “local destination,” you naturally address those concerns to potential guests in your geographic area. Since your property isn’t too far away, there’s minimal transportation costs and guests will feel less pressured to take extended periods of time off. After all, it’s always easier to take one or two days off, isn’t it?
Learn How to Position Yourself as a Local Destination.
Let’s discuss how Luxury Cabanas can help you position yourself as a local destination!
At Resort Cabanas (a division of Eide Industries, Inc.), we specialize in designing, manufacturing, and engineering custom commercial cabanas and pre-engineered options. With almost 80 years of extensive design, construction, metal fabrication, industrial sewing, and installation experience, we are proud to offer the highest quality products possible, made right here in the U.S.