TripIt Itineraries Show Labor Day is the Most Popular Weekend for Wedding Travel

SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 26, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- TripIt, the leading mobile trip organizer from Concur (Nasdaq CNQR), today revealed that Labor Day is the most popular weekend to travel for weddings between the months of April and August.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110826/SF58238)

According to TripIt travel itineraries, top destinations for Labor Day 2011 include Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Boston, Portland, Honolulu and Atlanta.

Similarly to last year, Labor Day was the most popular weekend, while Memorial Day ranked fifth among wedding trips taken between April-August, 2010. Other popular wedding weekends were August 4-8 (second); June 23-27 (third); and July 14-18, 2010 (fourth).

The Destination Wedding Debate

Holiday weekend wedding travel, while popular, does not go undisputed. A poll conducted by TripIt on Facebook revealed that 60 percent of respondents think Labor Day weddings are a "bad idea." Another 24 percent "don't care," and 12 percent said, "it depends on where it is."

"Couples choose Labor Day weekend weddings so guests don't have to worry about work the next day, or losing a day of their weekend to travel," said Lucy Williams, a wedding planner and co-founder of Gallery Events in Dallas. "Plus, a destination wedding brings excitement for your guests - a new environment, new cultures and beautiful scenery."

A destination wedding on the beach is the most desired option by travelers; according to half of respondents in a separate poll conducted by TripIt on Facebook, followed by the mountains (25 percent), and a big city (5 percent).

"There was never a doubt in our minds that we'd have a destination wedding on the beach," said David Hotz, a TripIt user planning his October nuptials. "It was just a question of where and how many people would be there. Fortunately, our friends and family share our love of travel, and are willing to fly to Mexico for our wedding trip. We'll end up having 80-100 people join us for our most special vacation."

Where in the World are Weddings?

While destination weddings at the beach or in the mountains are most likely to appeal to travelers, a new data visualization from TripIt shows that weddings take place in all climates and geographies. An interactive map of the world shows cities where weddings took place between April through August 2011, based on aggregate TripIt itinerary data.

"Traveling to a wedding makes 'getting there' without a hitch even more important," said Gregg Brockway, Executive Vice President and General Manager of TripIt. "Whether they're guests, part of the wedding party, or soon-to-be newlyweds, TripIt gives travelers peace of mind by keeping everything organized in one place."

To view the 2011 destination weddings data visualization go to http://bit.ly/q1OsbG, and TripIt's Labor Day weddings infographic is available at http://bit.ly/rtrFLV.

About TripIt

TripIt®, the leading mobile travel organizer from Concur® (Nasdaq: CNQR), makes it easy for millions of travelers to organize and share their trips.  Simply forward confirmation emails from anywhere you book to [email protected] and TripIt automagically creates one simple, smart itinerary to access on a smartphone, calendar, or anywhere online.  For even greater peace of mind while traveling, TripIt Pro acts like a personal travel assistant that keeps travelers in the know regarding flight status, alternate flights, and more; tracks all frequent traveler points in one place; and monitors eligible flights for fare refunds. TripIt for Business is an easier way for companies to organize office travel; keep track of who's traveling when and where, and whether travel dollars are being spent wisely. For more information, please visit www.tripit.com and follow @TripIt at http://twitter.com/tripit.

About Concur

Concur® is a leading provider of integrated travel and expense management solutions for companies of all sizes. Concur's easy-to-use web-based and mobile solutions help companies and their employees control costs and save time. Learn more at www.concur.com.

SOURCE TripIt