MCLEAN, Va., June 11, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- After a year of
staying at home, Americans are returning to travel and making up
for lost time by booking their dream vacations. According to a new
survey conducted by Hilton, 59% of respondents plan to jump back
into travel with a bucket list vacation they would not have
considered prior to the pandemic. The survey analyzed the impact
COVID-19 had on Americans' travel habits and determined their most
sought-after wish list destinations. The top locations included
international and domestic landmarks like the Grand Canyon, Eiffel
Tower, Niagara Falls, Statue of
Liberty, the Colosseum in Rome and
the Las Vegas Strip.
The survey showed a strong desire to begin traveling
post-pandemic: 64% of Americans agreed they are in desperate need
of a vacation, especially since 26% have not taken a vacation in
over a year, at the time of survey.
"The results show both international and domestic destinations
are at the top of Americans' wish lists for their next vacation,"
said Jenna Hackett, global brand
head, Curio Collection by Hilton. "It's no surprise 30% strongly
agree they will book a dream vacation that they normally wouldn't
have considered – our guests are looking for those authentic,
one-of-a-kind experiences, especially after more than a year
without making travel memories."
A Domestic Travel State of Mind
Given many are
transitioning from staycations to dream vacations, survey
respondents felt domestic travel was their best shot at a bucket
list trip. In fact, 57% of those surveyed said they would be more
comfortable traveling within the U.S. for their first post-pandemic
vacation. The top U.S. cities Americans plan to visit include
Honolulu (29%), New York City (25%) and Las Vegas (24%). Whether it's Hilton Hawaiian
Village Waikiki Beach Resort, Canopy by Hilton Jersey City Arts
District or Millennium Hilton New York Downtown, there are many
options for travelers seeking adventure and culture in their most
sought after cities post-pandemic.
Hilton is especially excited to welcome guests back to
Las Vegas. Travelers heading there
will have more options than ever, ranging from the recently opened
Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, Curio Collection by Hilton which is
located off of the Las Vegas Strip, to the newest jewel on the Las
Vegas Strip, a marquee Hilton Hotels & Resorts hotel, the
largest Conrad Hotels & Resorts property in the world and one
of the first LXR Hotels & Resorts locations in the U.S., at the
Resorts World Las Vegas complex. Resorts World Las Vegas will offer
3,500 luxury guest rooms and suites from these three premium Hilton
brands – the largest multi-brand deal in Hilton's history.
Additional cities on the survey takers' travel wish list
include:
- Los Angeles (selected by 21%
of respondents)
- Miami (selected by 20%)
- New Orleans (selected by
20%)
- San Francisco (selected by
19%)
- San Diego (selected by
18%)
Global Destinations
While many plan to stay stateside
this year, there was still a large desire for eventual overseas
travel. European countries topped the international wish list, with
Italy being the most popular
destination at 26%, followed closely by United Kingdom (24%), France (20%) and Greece (18%).
As travelers consider specific cities they want to explore,
Rome was the top choice with
nearly 27%. Paris and London were close seconds at 26% and 25%,
respectively. Hilton has no shortage of breathtaking properties for
travelers to take advantage of once they are ready to book their
dream vacation at these locations, including Aleph Rome Hotel,
Curio Collection by Hilton, a historic building in the heart
of the city that is a 10-minute walk to the Trevi Fountain, Spanish
Steps and Villa Borghese; Canopy by Hilton London City opening this
summer, which will feature a rooftop bar with dazzling views of the
city and St. Paul's Cathedral; and
Canopy by Hilton Paris Trocadero, which includes design that draws
inspiration from Trocadero's rich history along with thoughtfully
local touches that help guests make the most of their stay in
Paris.
Additional international wish list travel destinations
included:
- Venice (23%)
- Sydney (22%)
- Dublin (20%)
- Tokyo (18%)
- Barcelona (17%)
- Amsterdam (17%)
- Madrid (16%)
"Whether traveling internationally or domestically, we've found
that guests today are looking to dive into the local scene more and
more, especially during these dream vacations," said Phil Cordell, global brand head, Canopy by
Hilton. "While they are looking for those once-in-a-lifetime
moments, they also want to immerse themselves in the culture of
their destination, as evidenced by 29% of those surveyed who wanted
access to explore the nearby area and city and almost 1 in 5
wanting to feel like a local."
Travelers also are ready to go all-in on their dream
vacation: 30% said a top priority would be booking an
all-inclusive vacation. Hilton offers best-in-class hospitality at
its expanding portfolio of all-inclusive resorts, including
Hilton La Romana, an All-Inclusive
Family Resort, and Hilton Cancun, an All-Inclusive Resort opening
later this year.
Additional results of the consumer survey include:
- Reconnecting with Friends and Family: Two in five
respondents plan to visit family they haven't seen during the
pandemic and 27% plan to travel with friends and family. In fact,
38% of respondents said spending quality time with friends and
family is one of the top things they miss about traveling.
- Making up for Lost Travel Time: Most respondents plan on
staying at their destination longer (59%) and traveling further
(46%) than they previously would have.
- A Safe and Reliable Travel Experience: Safety is still
top of mind for consumers when it comes to traveling this summer.
The top priorities related to booking their next vacation are being
fully vaccinated against COVID-19 (48%) and ensuring their hotel
has COVID-19 cleaning protocols and safety measures in place
(35%).
- More Money, More Travel: The survey also found that
nearly half of respondents (49%) said they used the pandemic as an
opportunity to save up more money for a dream vacation they have
always had on their wish list, while 55% said they plan to spend
more than they usually would on their next trip since they haven't
traveled in a while: an average of $2,173.11.
To learn more, visit Hilton.com or HiltonHonors.com for ways to
earn and use Points to book the next wish list vacation.
This online survey of 2,000 nationally
representative American adults was commissioned
by Hilton and conducted by market research
company OnePoll, in accordance with
the Market Research Society's code of
conduct. Data was collected in May
2021. All participants are paid an amount depending on the
length and complexity of the survey. This survey was overseen and
edited by the OnePoll research team, who
are members of the MRS and have corporate
membership
to ESOMAR and AAPOR.
About Hilton
Hilton (NYSE: HLT) is a leading global
hospitality company with a portfolio of 18 world-class
brands comprising more than 6,500 properties and more than one
million rooms, in 119 countries and territories. Dedicated to
fulfilling its founding vision to fill the earth with the light and
warmth of hospitality, Hilton has welcomed more than 3 billion
guests in its more than 100-year history, earned a top spot on the
2020 World's Best Workplaces list, and was named the 2020 Global
Industry Leader on the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices. In
2020, Hilton CleanStay was introduced, bringing an
industry-defining standard of cleanliness and disinfection to
hotels worldwide. Through the award-winning guest loyalty program
Hilton Honors, the more than 115 million members who book directly
with Hilton can earn Points for hotel stays and experiences money
can't buy. With the free Hilton Honors mobile app, guests can
book their stay, select their room, check in, unlock their door
with a Digital Key and check out, all from their smartphone.
Visit newsroom.hilton.com for more information, and
connect with Hilton on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn,
Instagram and YouTube.
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SOURCE Hilton