Top 50 Destinations for Memorial Day 2006 / May 2006

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Top 50 Destinations for Memorial Day 2006

Priceline.com Releases Top 50 Destinations List for Memorial Day 2006; Chicago is Most-Requested Destination for First Time in 4 Years; East Coast Beaches Stage Comeback for the Long Weekend

NORWALK, Conn. - May 22, 2006 -- Internet travel service priceline.com (Nasdaq: PCLN) today released the results of its 4th annual survey of the 50 most-popular destinations for the upcoming Memorial Day weekend (May 27-29). The survey is based on more than 30,000 hotel room booking requests made by priceline.com customers for the weekend. Because the survey is based on actual booking activity, and not on consumer preference polls or votes, Priceline.com believes the annual survey is one of the more accurate predictors of Memorial Day travel trends.

Priceline.com also said it still has hotel rooms, airline tickets, vacation packages, rental cars and cruises available for the big weekend, often at significant discounts over other online travel reservation services.

The 2006 survey revealed yet another trend shift in Memorial Day travel. Unusually cold May weather in 2005 kept many consumers away from the beaches, particularly along the East coast. This year, beach destinations were back in vogue and took 15 places on the top 50 list. Places like Myrtle Beach and Hilton Head, which dropped off the 2005 list, have returned.

Warm weather destinations were particularly popular for the upcoming long weekend, taking almost half of all the top 50 destination spots. Few international destinations made the list (London and Canadian cities were the exceptions), partly due to exchange rates and the typically short duration of Memorial Day getaways.

There also was a significant change in the most-requested Memorial Day destination. From 2003 to 2005, Las Vegas was the top destination. This year, it was Chicago. New York was popular again this year, as was San Francisco, San Diego and the Los Angeles area. Indianapolis' Speedway area made its annual appearance onto the Top 50 list.

The Priceline Top 50 Destinations List for Memorial Day 2006

1. Chicago, Millennium Park, Loop area
2. Las Vegas, Strip vicinity
3. Chicago, North Michigan Ave. area
4. New York, Upper Midtown/Central Park South area
5. New York, Midtown West
6. New York, Downtown/Soho
7. New York, Midtown East
8. Las Vegas, Convention Center area
9. San Francisco, Union Square East
10. Washington, DC, White House area
11. Montreal
12. San Francisco, Union Square West
13. San Diego, Coastal area
14. Boston, Copley area
15. Vancouver
16. San Antonio, Downtown/Riverwalk
17. Seattle, Downtown
18. Oahu, Waikiki South
19. Philadelphia, Downtown
20. Orlando, Universal Studios/Seaworld area
21. San Diego, Point Loma/Old Town
22. Miami, South Beach
23. Boston, Downtown
24. Charleston, Mount Pleasant/Isle of Palms
25. Orange County, Disneyland area

26. Miami Beach
27. St. Catharines, Niagara Falls
28. Orlando, Disney World vicinity
29. San Diego, Downtown & Harbor Island
30. Austin, Downtown
31. Toronto, Markham
32. Toronto, Downtown
33. Key West
34. Hilton Head
35. Las Vegas, West of Strip
36. Washington, DC, Alexandria
37. Seattle, Lake Union
38. San Antonio, Medical Center area
39. Palm Springs, Rancho Mirage/Indian Wells
40. Jersey City, Meadowlands area
41. Monterey
42. London, Bloomsbury/Marble Arch
43. Maui, Wailea/Makena
44. Orange County, Costa Mesa/Irvine
45. San Diego, Del Mar
46. Myrtle Beach
47. San Diego, Mission Valley
48. Los Angeles, Beverly Hills/West Hollywood
49. San Francisco, Fisherman's Wharf
50. Indianapolis, Speedway area

About Priceline.com
Priceline.com is the leading travel service for value-conscious leisure travelers. The company also operates the following travel web sites: Travelweb.com, Lowestfare.com, RentalCars.com and BreezeNet.com.

Contact:

Priceline.com
Brian Ek, 203-299-8167
[email protected]

Also See:	Top 50 Destinations for New Year's Eve 2005 / December 2005
	The 50 Most Requested Destinations for the Labor Day Weekend; Priceline.com Survey / Aug 2003
	50 Most-Popular Destinations for Memorial Day 2004 / May 2004

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