NEW YORK, August 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --
Booking.com, the global leader in
connecting travelers with the widest choice of incredible places to
stay, knows a thing or two about Labor
Day travel, and this year is encouraging everyone to pack
their bags and get away. While some might look forward to a relaxed
Labor Day weekend at home, research
released by Booking.com shows that taking a spontaneous trip could
be the key to relieving stress and enhancing happiness.
The survey, which quizzed 6,620 respondents across six
countries* about their attitude towards spontaneity revealed that
four out of five people (79%) agree that taking a spontaneous trip
'boosts their happiness' while nearly two thirds (61%) stated that
it makes them 'more productive at work' and 'reduces stress'
(68%).
The survey also revealed the most popular hotel room rituals.
When asked to pick the top three things they would do when first
entering a hotel room almost a quarter of all respondents (22%)
stated that they would jump on the bed. In contrast, only 8% would
take the more 'adult' stress release approach of checking out the
mini-bar. Surprisingly, the ubiquitous selfie doesn't make much of
an appearance in the bedroom with only 5% of respondents stating
that this was their first activity of choice. The top answer, check
out the bath/shower, received 48% of the vote even beating admiring
the view which came a very close second (47%).
So when are people most likely to just get up and go? The top
season for spur of the moment getaways is end of summer (perfect
for Labor Day), with nearly half
(48%) of the vote. More free time (39%), getting away from the bad
weather where they live (23%) and school holidays (21%) were all
cited as top reasons for trying to get away this Labor Day. The (hopefully!) good weather allows
64% of travelers to go on a road trip while 70% would head to the
beach instead. City trips are also popular at this time of the year
with 71% of respondents saying that this was their most likely type
of last minute holiday.
Demonstrating quite an adventurous spirit, over a third (37%)
are happy to book accommodation that they have never even
heard of for last-minute trips, perhaps relying instead on reviews
in order to inform their decision making process. Booking.com
provides customers with over 100 million real, relevant and recent
reviews so travelers can get a real feel for their accommodation of
choice, all before leaving the comfort of their sofa.
With 72% of respondents stating that they would like to book
more spontaneous holidays, what stops them from making those last
minute holiday plans? Well, three out of four respondents (76%) say
the hardest part of booking last minute trips is finding affordable
and quality accommodation. In addition, half (48%) cite expense as
a barrier to spur of the moment trips.
"We know there is a growing demand for instantaneous and
on-the-move travel with almost half of worldwide reservations made
within 48 hours being booked on a mobile device," Todd Dunlap, Managing Director, Americas at
Booking.com said in regard to the survey results. "The Booking.com
app allows travelers to easily book their last-minute hotel
reservation from anywhere, anytime."
Users receive instant confirmation, paperless check-in and
offline maps when they book through the Booking.com app (on both
iOS via the Apple Store and Android in the Google Play Store).
* Research commissioned by Booking.com and independently
conducted among 6,620 people (18+) across USA, Canada,
UK, Germany, France and Australia. Research took place between June
and July 2015.
About Booking.com:
Booking.com is the world leader in booking hotel and other
accommodations online. It guarantees the best prices for any type
of property - from small independents to five-star luxury. Guests
can access the Booking.com website anytime, anywhere from their
desktops, mobile phones and tablet devices, and they don't pay
booking fees - ever. The Booking.com website is available in 42
languages, offers over one million hotels and accommodations
including more than 500,000 vacation rental properties and covers
over 95,000 destinations in 224 countries and territories
worldwide. It features over 100M reviews written by guests after
their stay, and attracts online visitors from both leisure and
business markets around the globe. With over 19 years of experience
and a team of over 13,000 dedicated employees in 184 offices
worldwide, Booking.com operates its own in-house customer service
team, which is available 24/7 to assist guests in their native
languages and ensure an exceptional customer experience.
Established in 1996, Booking.com B.V. owns and operates
Booking.com™, and is part of The Priceline Group (NASDAQ: PCLN).
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at http://www.booking.com.
Contact Details for Booking.com:
For further information, contact the Booking.com U.S. Press
Office,
Joseph Moscone, Senior Manager,
Public Relations | joseph.moscone@booking.com
Lauren Hanafin, Harrison &
Shriftman | lhanafin@hs-pr.com
SOURCE Booking.com