Travel Leaders' 2011 Travel Trends Survey: Las Vegas Rebounds in 2011 by Edging Out Orlando; Over 88% Will Spend the Same or More on Travel This Year

Optimism Mirrors Pre-Recession Levels of 2007; Cruises Take Two of Top Three "International Destination" Spots.

News provided by

Dec 17, 2010, 01:32 ET

MINNEAPOLIS, Dec. 17, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Travel Leaders unveiled the 2011 results of their authoritative annual Travel Trends Survey. After a one-year hiatus – the adult "playland" of Las Vegas has regained the top spot over the family playground of Orlando by the slimmest of margins. In addition, this year's findings show that 50.1% of Travel Leaders clients will spend more on travel this year while 38.2% will spend the same amount. Conducted November 3 – 30, 2010, and based on actual booking data, the 2011 Travel Trends Survey includes responses from 547 Travel Leaders owners, managers and frontline travel experts throughout the United States.

"The trends revealed in this year's survey lead us to be quite bullish on travel in 2011. Bookings are on the rise as people either feel more stable in their situations or decide they can't wait any longer to take a needed vacation," stated Roger E. Block, CTC, president of Travel Leaders Franchise Group, which includes locations from coast to coast. "Spending signs are encouraging as 50.1% indicate that their clients will be spending more per trip, while 38.2% responded that clients will at the very least spend the same as they did last year. Plus, what our Travel Leaders experts are seeing and booking for 2011 translates into the overwhelming majority feeling more optimistic in their outlook for 2011 than we've seen since late 2006/early 2007."

Top Destinations: U.S. and International Based on Actual 2011 Bookings:

Las Vegas edges out Orlando by a mere 0.36%, after losing its "top spot" crown to Orlando in 2010. Las Vegas has earned the #1 ranking every year from 2003-2009 and now again in 2011.
"Hawaiian Cruises" jumps six places and lands in the Top 10 at the #8 spot; and San Francisco re-enters the Top 10 with a 4-spot jump to #9. Cruising is generally perceived by Travel Leaders to be the most economical, value-oriented means of seeing more of Hawaii.
Caribbean Cruising remains the top international destination with new and bigger ships enticing novice and veteran cruisers alike. Mediterranean Cruising continues its upward climb and cracks the Top 3 for the first time ever – it ranks 3rd overall as cruise enthusiasts look to new destinations.
Rome and London held steady at #5 and #6, respectively, while the popular city and Mediterranean cruise port of Barcelona made an impressive move 10 spots up in the rankings to land at #20.

The following lists display the top ten domestic and international destinations for 2011, along with rankings from the 2010 survey conducted one year ago (agents were asked to name up to five top destinations they've already been booking for 2011):


Rank	2011 Top Domestic Destinations	2011 %	Rank '10
1	Las Vegas, NV	50.1%	2
2	Orlando, FL	49.7%	1
3	Cruise – Alaska	48.8%	3
4 (tie)	Honolulu, HI	29.6%	6
4 (tie)	Kahului (Maui), HI	29.6%	5
6	New York City, NY	27.2%	4
7	Washington, D.C.	15.5%	9
8	Cruise – Hawaii	14.1%	14
9	San Francisco, CA	13.2%	13
10 (tie)	Chicago, IL	12.3%	7
10 (tie)	Phoenix/Scottsdale, AZ	12.3%	8


Rank	2011 Top International Destinations	2011 %	Rank '10
1	CRUISE- Caribbean	52.8%	1
2	Cancun, Mexico	40.0%	2
3	CRUISE- Europe (Mediterranean)	29.8%	4
4	Riviera Maya, Mexico	23.8%	3
5	Rome, Italy	21.2%	5
6	London, England	20.1%	6
7	Montego Bay, Jamaica	15.2%	9
8	Playa del Carmen, Mexico	15.0%	10
9	Punta Cana, Dominican Republic	14.6%	7
10	CRUISE- Mexico	12.3%	11


Rank	2011 Top 5 Cruise Destinations	2011%	Rank '10
1	Alaska	23.4%	2
2	Caribbean (Western)	20.6%	1
3	Caribbean (Eastern)	19.8%	3
4	Europe (Mediterranean)	12.9%	4
5	Caribbean (Southern)	7.7%	5

Additional Notes:

Based on current bookings so far for 2011 and conversations with clients, over 88% of Travel Leaders surveyed say clients will spend the same or more on travel in 2011. (Spending more per trip than in 2010 = 50.1%; spending the same per trip as in 2010 = 38.2%)
Last-minute leisure travel is starting to decrease. As travel returns to normal levels, optimum pricing requires more advance planning. Survey data on both the domestic and international leisure booking windows (time between the booking and actual travel date) shows:


Domestic Travel Booking Window	2011	2010
4 weeks or less	23.3%	29.8%
5-7 weeks	15.4%	15.6%
8 weeks or more	61.4%	54.5%


International Travel Booking Window	2011	2010
4 weeks or less	9.7%	13.7%
5-7 weeks	3.3%	5.2%
8 weeks or more	87.0%	81.1%

Comparing your 2011 bookings so far to your 2010 bookings at this time last year, which is true?


2011 Response	2011%	2010%	2009%	2008%	2007%
They're Higher	50.3	28.2	11.1	50.4	45.5
They're About Even	30.7	34	21.8	31.9	36.3
They're Lower	19.0	37.8	67.1	17.7	18.2

What is your personal outlook on your business in 2011?


2011 Response	2011%	2010%	2009%	2008%	2007%
Very optimistic	29.3	23.0	10.4	31.6	30.4
Fairly optimistic	51.0	52.8	41.9	45.7	50.9
TOTAL OPTIMISTIC	80.3	75.8	52.3	77.3	81.3
Neither optimistic nor pessimistic	15.0	16.5	28	17.5	13.2
Fairly pessimistic	4.7	6.9	16.8	5.2	5.3
Very pessimistic	0.0	0.8	2.9	0	0.2
TOTAL PESSIMISTIC	4.7	7.7	19.7	5.2	5.5

When your journey includes us, you travel better. To find the Travel Leaders location nearest you, go to www.TravelLeaders.com or call 888-206-TRIP (8747).

Travel Leaders is transforming travel with a name that boldly embodies our commitment to our vacation and business travel clients via a progressive approach toward each unique travel experience. As one of America's top ten-ranked travel companies, Travel Leaders has assisted millions of travelers through our strong roots – the former Carlson Wagonlit Travel Associates, TraveLeaders and Tzell Travel Group joined together in 2008 to form one of the industry's fastest-growing and robust networks of travel agents. Travel Leaders Franchise Group can trace its beginnings to 1984 as the franchise system "Ask Mr. Foster Travel," which itself was North America's first travel agency chain established in 1888.