Marriott International just released the findings of its second annual U.S. Summer Travel Trends Report. The Ipsos Omnibus data was collected from more than 1 million Marriott.com searches and bookings, as well as a digital survey of more than 2,000 individuals 18 and over, to determine summer travel preferences between Memorial Day and Labor Day Weekends.
As a leading global lodging company and expert on travel with more than 6,5000 properties across 127 countries and territories, Marriott International has an answer for every type of traveler this summer, and all seasons. Here is some of the standout data:
Memorial Day Weekend Travel
- 60% more travelers are looking to bring their four-legged family members for MDW versus July 4th or other summer weekend travel
- The top five booked U.S. cities (which are historically pet friendly) are:
- NYC
- Orlando
- Atlanta
- Chicago
-San Diego - Hotels from the JW Marriott Essex House to the San Diego Marriott Del Mar and the W Atlanta Downtown are making sure these travelers feel at home with a variety of pet amenities.
July 4th Travel
- The top five booked U.S. cities also with some of the biggest celebrations are:
- Houston
- NYC (stay at New York Marriott at the Brooklyn Bridge)
- Orlando
- Seattle
- Chicago - Due to the way the holiday falls within the work-week this year, findings show that travelers are also keen to book international trips to Toronto and Vancouver to celebrate too. The Adelaide Hotel Toronto is offering a discount on parking and cocktails for those who are in town for games at the Air Canada Centre or Rogers Centre.
Top Travel Trends
- Children ages 6-12 have the biggest influence on where families book for their summer trips with 64% of these families reporting that they take their longest vacations of the year during the summer months
- Beaches, pools, and restaurants are the top three most desired amenities that travelers look for when booking
- Marriott Rewards members have an average of 3.1 leisure trips planned for summer 2018, with 37% of members having more leisure trips planned than summer 2017.