Lifestyle
Expedia Unpacks the Best Time to Book, Cheap Places to Visit, and Everything Else You Need to Know About Summer 2019
Published
5 years agoon
BELLEVUE, Wash. (FNN NEWS) – Searches for “summer 2019” have been on the rise for the past 90 days1, and the unofficial start to summer – Memorial Day weekend – is just a couple weeks away. Today, Expedia® travel experts revealed the best time to book, cheapest places to visit, and other vacation planning tips to help travelers prepare for another season of epic adventures. Expedia also recently polled2 1,000 Americans and analyzed travel data to uncover the trends that will likely inspire your next summer getaway.
- Nearly 85% of Americans are taking or planning to take at least one trip between now and September. For the 15% of Americans who said they won’t be traveling this summer, more than half of them (65%) claim it’s due to budget concerns.
- Domestic travel continues to be the foundation of most American trips. 3 out of 4 Americans aren’t planning to leave the country this summer. Expedia’s flight and hotel data confirms this as hot spots like Vegas, Orlando, San Diego and Los Angeles make up a majority of the top 25 most popular summer vacation destinations this year.
- Most Americans plan to road trip or fly with family or a significant other this summer, and they’re willing to spend between 5-10 hours in transit.
- Disconnecting from work, hitting the beach, getting some sun, sightseeing, spending time with friends and family are all things we want to accomplish this summer.
Nisreene Atassi, PR Director for Brand Expedia: “Whether it was road trips around the Midwest or long weekends to the East Coast, domestic vacations were a hallmark of my family trips as a child. So, it doesn’t surprise me to hear that most Americans plan to travel within the U.S. this summer. We’re on a mission to really arm travelers with everything they need to get their vacation plans sorted, and our analysis covers everything travelers need to do just that.”
Here’s when to book your hotel, flight and car rental4
- Hotel – Travelers are becoming more accustomed to booking last minute, which could work in their favor this summer. Being flexible and waiting about a week before your trip starts could save you more than 15% on hotel costs. For those who cringe at the thought of missing out on a specific property or not staying with other travelers in your party, booking 21-30 days in advance could still mean nearly 10% savings. Regardless of when you decide to book, remember the cheapest average daily rates are found on Fridays5.
- Flights – The “sweet spot” for airfares is about three weeks to a month (21-30 days) ahead of time. Remember to purchase flights over the weekend, particularly on a Sunday. Nearly 30% of Americans are flying to their destination, so this next tip is super important: choosing flights that take off on Thursday or Friday6 can save travelers around 10%.
- Car Rental – It’s never a bad idea to avoid putting miles on your car. Booking a comfy rental 14-20 days in advance could save you around 5% this summer.
“We hear from travelers time and time again that budget is a big concern for them. While summer can often mean peak travel times and peak pricing, we’ve done the heavy lifting to figure out the best ways for travelers to still find prices that fit their budget,” says Atassi. “With some careful planning and a little research, summer travel plans are well within reach for many Americans.”
Cheap summer vacation ideas
Most Americans feel comfortable spending somewhere between $1,000-2,9997 on their entire summer vacation. Expedia’s data gurus pulled together some of the cheapest destinations in the USA that fit this budget.8 We also threw in a few international locations that Americans tend to frequent.
• Hilo, Hawaii – average ticket prices under $600 | • Phoenix, Arizona – average daily rates under $150 |
• Key West, Florida – average ticket prices under $500 | • San Diego, California – average daily rates under $300 |
• San Jose del Cabo, Mexico – average ticket prices under $400 | • Houston, Texas – average ticket prices under $250, average daily rates under $150 |
• Cancun, Mexico – average ticket prices under $400, average daily rates under $300 | • Atlanta, Georgia – average ticket prices under $250, average daily rates under $300 |
• Colorado Springs, Colorado – average ticket prices under $400 | • Austin, Texas – average ticket prices under $250 |
• Orange County, California – average ticket prices under $300 | • Tampa, Florida – average ticket prices under $250 |
• New Orleans, Louisiana – average ticket prices and average daily rates under $300 | • West Palm Beach, Florida – average ticket prices under $250 |
• Charleston, South Carolina – average ticket prices under $300 | • Denver, Colorado – average ticket prices under $250, average daily rates under $300 |
• Nashville, Tennessee – average daily rates under $300 | • Toronto, Canada – average ticket prices under $200 |
• Portland, Oregon – average daily rates under $200 | • Daytona Beach, Florida – average daily rates under $200 |
Be sure to also check for deeper travel discounts in the Expedia app, which is available to download for free on iOS in the App Store and on Android devices through Google Play.
1Data source: Google Trends volume for search term “summer travel” for the past 90 days.
2-3,7Survey commissioned by Expedia and conducted by SurveyMonkey, polling 1,000 respondents, aged 18-65+, located in the U.S.
4-6Based on Expedia flight, hotel and car demand data for travel dates between May 20-September 30, 2018 as well as findings from the 2019 Travel Pricing Outlook report by ARC & Expedia Group.
8Based on Expedia flight and hotel data for travel dates between May 20-September 30, 2019
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Lifestyle
St. Lucian Dona Regis-Prosper Named First Female Secretary-General and CEO of the Caribbean Tourism Organization
Published
8 months agoon
July 13, 2023By
FNN NEWSBRIDGETOWN, Barbados – The Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO), the premier tourism development agency for 25 Caribbean countries and territories, has appointed Dona Regis-Prosper the new Secretary-General and Chief Executive Officer. Beginning her assignment on September 1, 2023, Regis-Prosper, who hails from St. Lucia, is set to make history as the first woman to assume leadership of the intergovernmental body.
With an impressive career that spans more than 22 years, Regis-Prosper brings an unparalleled depth and breadth of knowledge and experience in the tourism industry to the CTO. She has lived and worked in multiple Caribbean destinations, and served as Director of Marketing and Product Development of the St. Lucia Air and Seaports Authority; Director of Business Development for Margaritaville Caribbean Group in Jamaica; CEO of the Tortola Pier Park in the British Virgin Islands; and General Manager of the Antigua Cruise Port where she is currently employed.
Chairman of the CTO, Kenneth Bryan, who is the Minister of Tourism and Ports of the Cayman Islands, welcomed Regis-Prosper to the regional body. “We are extremely pleased to have Dona Regis-Prosper come on board to lead the CTO. Her vast experience, strategic insight, and impressive track record in the tourism sector make her an exceptional choice to propel our organization into a new era,” he stated, adding that having more women in positions of influence enhances the efficiency of the region’s major economic earner and sends positive messages of encouragement and inspiration for women and girls across the Caribbean.
A dynamic and transformative leader who has built and sustained a strong network of professionals in both the public and private sector (working closely with regional government officials, tourism stakeholders, and industry professionals), Regis-Prosper emerged as the top choice from a pool of more than 60 highly qualified applicants. The rigorous selection process included multiple rounds of interviews and a comprehensive assessment related to addressing some of the most pressing issues faced by the regional tourism industry.
Chairman Bryan disclosed that throughout the selection process, ministers, commissioners and directors lauded Regis-Prosper’s transformational leadership style. “They found her to be innovative, forward-thinking, results-driven, and solution-oriented,” he said, noting that her perspective on managing the climate crisis was particularly well-received, illustrating her deep-seated passion for sustainability and her ability to develop practical solutions to critical industry issues.
Regis-Prosper takes over the organization’s leadership reins from Acting Secretary General and CEO Neil Walters, CTO’s Director of Finance and Resource Management, who has been filling the position following the retirement of Barbadian Hugh Riley in 2019. The other two Caribbean tourism professionals to serve in the region’s top tourism post include the late tourism stalwart Jean Holder and Vincent Vanderpool Wallace, former Bahamas Director General and Bahamas Minister of Tourism.
Of her new role, Regis-Prosper stated, “I am deeply honored to have been selected to serve as Secretary General of the CTO and am grateful for the trust and confidence the CTO Council of Ministers and Commissioners of Tourism and the Board of Directors have placed in me. I eagerly look forward to working with our dedicated team and diverse stakeholders to promote the Caribbean tourism sector, champion sustainability, and continue to foster impactful relationships and deliver ROI for our members.”
With a Master of Business Administration degree, Certified Professional Marketer qualification, and significant experience in business development, strategy, marketing and sustainability, Regis-Prosper is well able to lead the Caribbean tourism sector into a bright and prosperous future, Chairman Bryan asserted.
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