SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 24, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — Sojern, the world’s leading data-driven traveler engagement platform, today released an analysis of the top U.S. travel trends from Q3, which includes the months of July, August and September. The report findings are derived from the analysis of more than 520 million traveler data points, obtained through Sojern’s exclusive partnerships with the world’s most renowned travel brands. Sojern leverages this data in combination with proprietary machine learning technology to help leading travel brands deliver the most efficient marketing, distribution and insight solutions at scale.
The most popular overall travel destinations in Q3 were New York (#1), Chicago (#2), San Francisco (#3), Los Angeles (#4) and Denver(#5). The most searched destinations varied only slightly and were New York (#1), Las Vegas (#2), Los Angeles (#3), Chicago (#4) andSan Francisco (#5). Las Vegas has been a popular search destination all year, with lots of travelers researching the multitude of hotel and airline deals in Sin City.
Sojern also found that while travelers may be searching for hotel deals early on, they often waited until the last minute to book their hotel accommodations in Q3. In fact, 74% of travelers booked hotels the same week they stayed, while only 6% booked hotels more than 30 days before they stayed. This trend was particularly strong in the most popular travel destinations in Q3, markets where the hotel industry is extremely competitive and last-minute booking apps are commonly used. For example:
- In New York, 21% of travelers booked hotels the same day they stayed. Only 10% booked hotels more than 30 days in advance of their stay.
- In Chicago, 20% of travelers booked hotels the same day they stayed. Only 10% booked hotels more than 30 days in advance of their stay.
- In San Francisco, 21% of travelers booked hotels the same day they stayed. Only 14% booked hotels more than 30 days in advance of their stay.
- In Los Angeles, 28% of travelers booked hotels the same day they stayed. Only 8% booked hotels more than 30 days in advance of their stay.
- In Denver, a whopping 34% of travelers booked hotels the same day they stayed. Only 4% booked hotels more than 30 days in advance of their stay.
This is a stark contrast to airline booking windows which are becoming increasingly lengthy. In Q3, 31% of travelers booked airline tickets more than 30 days in advance of flying. Last quarter, only 24% booked their tickets more than 30 days in advance. Unlike hotels, which often offer last-minute deals, airline ticket prices tend to become more expensive as the travel date approaches.
Sojern’s data also revealed that leisure travel was even more popular in Q3 than Q2, with 72% of people traveling for fun vs. 28% for business. In Q2, 52% traveled for leisure and 48% for business purposes. Most travelers flew alone (74%) and more females traveled than males for the first time this year (51% female vs. 49% male). Most travelers stayed at their destinations for only 1-2 days (81%), while 16% stayed for 3-5 days. Only 3% of travelers stayed at their destination for 6 days or more.
To read the full Q3 Sojern Travel Trend Report, please click here.
About Sojern
Headquartered in San Francisco with key offices in New York, Omaha and London, Sojern is the world’s leading data-driven traveler engagement platform that delivers the most efficient marketing, distribution, monetization and insight solutions at scale. Since 2007, the company has helped top travel brands like American Airlines, American Express, Avis|Budget Group, Choice, Enterprise, Hertz, Hilton, Hyatt, IHG, Las Vegas Tourism, Marriott, Microsoft, Samsonite, Starwood, United, and US Airways more efficiently and meaningfully engage with travelers to drive conversions, loyalty and monetization.
For more information, please visit sojern.com
