One of the findings of a recent Hotels.com survey is that Venice and Florence will see more American visitors. Others findings, pertinent to travel and hospitality providers worldwide, show that Millennials seek customer experience, and that mobile is becoming increasingly important in bookings.
The Hotels.com Winter Holiday Travel Survey found that Italy is the second-most popular 2015 travel wish-list destination for Americans (Hawaii is first). Venice and Florence have been popular international destinations for U.S. travelers (ranked 12th and 13th, respectively), but may see a boost because of increased interest fueled by 2014 celebrity weddings.
Other findings of note:
- “Millennials comprise 32% of U.S. travelers and are the fastest-growing age segment in travel,” Taylor L. Cole of Hotels.com told Loyalty360. “Their desire to explore budget-friendly destinations and get the most for their travel dollar is the drive for most of these predictions."
- "“We’re seeing an increase in travelers booking within a shorter timeframe before an upcoming stay,” according to Cole. “Mobile is definitely a factor here. According to our data, approximately one in four travelers are booking hotels via a mobile device, and nearly 70% of those bookings are made for same or next-day check-in."
- As travelers are looking at those less-traveled destinations and yearn for an authentic experience," said Cole, "we also expect to see an increase in voluntourism and different modes of exploring a city, such as biking."