Fall Travel Demand Expected To Remain Strong As Domestic Travel Prices Drop Despite a Rocky Summer for Travelers, Industry Expert Offers Advice on When to Buy and Where to Go for Labor Day and Beyond
Southlake, TEXAS (August 20, 2007) – Despite coming off a pricey, overcrowded summer travel season, with strong demand expected into fall, consumers searching for reasonable deals this Labor Day will be pleasantly surprised. According to recent Travelocity data, the average domestic airfare is down for this Labor Day (1.2 percent) and fall season (3 percent) compared to 2006. With international airfares continuing to climb, however, it's a good time to seek out vacations stateside.
While early numbers don't yet reveal a huge shift in the airline pricing cycle, it could mean good news for travelers looking into flights for the holidays. "If I knew where I was headed this holiday season I'd snap up my ticket as soon as possible," said Amy Ziff, Travelocity's editor at large. "We believe that travelers should consider taking advantage of the lower rates available right now."
Travelocity's fall data also revealed that travel booking windows have grown compared to the same time last year. Likely attributed to high prices and crowded skies this summer, consumers have learned to prepare for potential challenges, purchasing fall trips an average of two days further in advance than last fall. A snapshot of additional fall data findings include:
Top Fall Destinations with air fare PRICE DECREASES Year-Over-Year:
- Charleston air fare pricing down 24 percent
- Atlanta air fare pricing down 18 percent
- Phoenix air fare pricing down 9 percent
- San Diego air fare pricing down 8.5 percent
Top Booked DOMESTIC Destinations:
- Las Vegas
- Orlando
- New York
- South Florida
- San Francisco
- Chicago
- Los Angeles
- Washington, DC
- Phoenix
- Denver
Top Booked INTERNATIONAL Destinations:
- Cancun
- Cabo San Lucas
- Rome
- London
- Puerto Vallarta
- Aruba
- Paris
- Bahamas
- Barcelona
- Jamaica
Whether seeking a romantic Labor Day getaway or family adventure, Travelocity's data miners dug deep to find the top destinations of the season based on different travel groups' interests.
Popular Labor Day Destinations for SINGLES:
- Atlanta
- Minneapolis
- Detroit
- London
Popular Destinations for COUPLES:
- Honolulu
- Miami
- Dominican Republic
- Jamaica
Popular Destinations for FAMILIES:
- Orlando
- Cancun
- Puerto Vallarta
- Aruba
"The best way to deal with crowded airports and delays is to be prepared," says Ziff who suggests that travelers fly early, fly direct, and pack snacks to bring with them when they head to the airport.
For more information visit http://www.travelocity.com/atoz or write to askamy@travelocity.com.
About Travelocity
Travelocity® is committed to being the traveler's champion -- before, during and after the trip – and provides the most comprehensive and pro-active guarantee in the industry – see http://www.travelocity.com/guaranteefor details. This customer-driven focus, backed by 24/7 live phone support, great prices and powerful shopping technology has made Travelocity the sixth largest travel agency -- booking $10.1 billion in travel worldwide in 2006. Based in Southlake, Texas, Travelocity also owns and operates Travelocity Business® for corporate travelers, lastminute.com, a leader in European online travel and ZUJI, a leader in Asia-Pacific online travel. Travelocity is owned by Sabre Holdings Corporation, a world leader in travel commerce.
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