‘Echo Boomers’ boost US travel Agents
Web-savvy young people in the US are offering an unexpected boost for travel agents as they look for someone to hold their hands through travel bookings.
The annual Consumer Trends report by Travel Weekly in the US found a surprising 20% of traditional agent bookings came from younger respondents 18 to 31-years-old “echo boomers” born during the birthrate surge of 1982-1995.
Hotel Occupancies bounce back in North America … can the same be said for hotels located in other destinations?
MINNEAPOLIS — If you’ve been booking hotel rooms in North America for clients, you will have noticed that a year ago, in December 2009, hotel occupancy levels began to show signs of recovery.
Canadians travelling overseas in droves, another record set in September
OTTAWA — Even though Canadians took 0.7% fewer trips abroad in September compared with August, Canadian travel to overseas countries, the type most likely to be sold through travel agents, continued its long-term upward trend.
In fact it increased 4.5% to 750,000 trips, the highest number since record-keeping began in 1972. This replaces the previous high reached in July.
Among the 39 percent of Americans who plan to travel this holiday season, almost one-third (30%) say they expect to spend more than last year according to the latest American Express Spending & Saving Tracker. On average, travelers plan to spend $460 per person with that figure jumping to $500 per person among young professionals and $560 among affluents.
Canadian tourists flocked to Europe at an unexpected pace this summer as pent-up demand and a weak euro whet their appetite for Parisian patisseries and high tea in London.
While the debate still rages on whether the economy is back on a solid footing, one thing is clear, Canadians didn’t let that interfere with their travel plans this summer.
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