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 Survey Reveals Vacationers Will Travel Farther and Stay Longer this Summer; 
Look to the Internet as Primary Resource for Researching
and Booking Travel Plans
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WOBURN, Mass. - June 7, 2006 -- Summer may be too short, but consumers are doing their best to prolong the fun. A recent Prospectiv CPI poll found that when vacationers hit-the-road this summer, they'll be traveling farther from home and staying at their destination longer compared to Summer 2005. Prospectiv (http://www.prospectiv.com), a provider of online customer acquisition solutions to leading consumer brands, is the owner and operator of the online properties Eversave.com, Healthier.com, and TheKnowledgeStop.com. 

Prospectiv's CPI poll also revealed how consumers plan their vacations, most notably the fact that the majority of consumers (83 percent) use the Internet for researching and/or booking summer travel plans. In fact, 67 percent of respondents said they use the Internet as their primary resource for summer travel related information. 

Consumers Take More Time Off and Travel Farther in 2006 

According to a June 2005 Summer Travel CPI poll, only 46 percent of consumers planned to vacation for more than one week - in fact, 54 percent of vacationers planned to stay at their destination for less than seven days. This summer, 74 percent of travelers said they will leave home for one to two weeks. 

Not only are consumers extending the length of their vacations in 2006, they are venturing farther from home - the summer season will see an increase in out-of-state travelers. Fifty-eight percent of those surveyed said they will leave their home-state for vacation this summer - this represents an 11 percent increase in out-of-state travelers compared to the 2005 Summer Travel CPI poll. 

Where will these longer vacations be taken? According to the recent survey, seaside/lakeside resorts were the number one destination for vacationers - 29 percent of consumers will stay at one in 2006, jumping 10 percent from last year's poll. More people (4 percent) will also be taking a summer cruise in 2006, up 2 percent from 2005. Camping will decline by 50 percent this summer as only 8 percent of respondents said they will camp this summer - according to the 2005 survey results, 16 percent of summer vacationers camped last year. 

Not surprisingly, the CPI poll revealed that rising fuel prices will affect 60 percent of consumers' decisions regarding their 2006 summer vacation planning. But, despite this fact, 31 percent of respondents said they will spend more money on vacation arrangements this year compared to what they spent a year ago. Forty percent of consumers surveyed said they will spend the same in 2006 and 20 percent plan to spend less than in 2005. 

Flocking Online for Summer Travel Planning 

In addition to findings that consumers look to the Internet as their primary research tool for summer vacation planning, Prospectiv's CPI also revealed that consumers want even more online travel content. Eighty-eight percent of consumers polled said they would welcome even more summer travel information specific to their interests via online channels such as websites, email offers and other online discounts - increasing their Internet use for travel planning. 

Currently, 30 percent of consumers book travel arrangements through online travel sites; 21 percent book reservations using a hotel's/destination's own website; and 31 percent use online resources for researching summer travel options, but do not book online. 
When are consumers signing-online and researching summer travel plans? Not too far in advance of their trip. According to the survey, 62 percent begin their research in spring to early-summer. 

"The CPI findings show that the Internet is an ideal way to reach consumers with branding messages, special offers, discounts and other summer travel promotions," said Jere Doyle, President and CEO, Prospectiv. "Travel and tourism marketers who expand their visibility online will be at a definite advantage as travel-specific e-newsletters and targeted discounts continue to grab the attention of an increasing number of consumers." 

With the increasing costs of taking a vacation, consumers surveyed said certain incentives would entice them into traveling. Thirty-two percent of consumers said discount offers for extended hotel stays would increase their summer travel this year; 28 percent said discounts to preferred restaurants, stores and attractions would get them on the move; rebates on gas expenses would promote more travel by 26 percent of consumers polled. 

Prospectiv conducted the 2006 Summer Travel survey online, gathering responses from over 1000 consumers across the United States. The survey was conducted from May 22 - 29, 2006 

About Prospectiv's Consumer Preference Index (CPI): 
Millions of active, self-profiled consumers have registered at Prospectiv's vertically-targeted online properties - Eversave.com (connects consumers with quality offers from leading brands), TheKnowledgeStop.com (premier resource for online and campus-based education and degree programs), and Healthier.com (website offering consumers information, promotions and products to achieve a healthier lifestyle) - enabling Prospectiv to compile insightful survey data for advertisers and marketers. Prospectiv's 20-point data authentication, cleansing and validation process ensures the database of self-profiled consumers is current, active, and accurate in order to deliver the highest quality data to clients. 

About Prospectiv: 
Prospectiv provides industry-leading customer acquisition, email marketing and data analytics solutions to leading consumer brand marketers. The company's solutions enable the world's best brands to find and build profitable relationships with the right customers through expert media buying, broad media reach, proprietary technology, and comprehensive analytics. Millions of active, self-profiled consumers have registered at Prospectiv's vertically-targeted online properties - Eversave.com, TheKnowledgeStop.com and Healthier.com. Prospectiv generates more than 50 million pre-qualified responses per year on a pay-for-results basis for clients, including many Fortune 1000 companies such as Procter and Gamble, Wal-Mart, Pfizer, Dell, Nestle and Schering-Plough. Founded in 1999, Prospectiv is privately-held and is based in Woburn, Ma. 

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Contact:

Tom Francoeur
781-404-2405
[email protected]
http://www.prospectiv.com

Also See: Leisure Travel Hits Six Year High in the U.S.; Top Three Most Desired Destinations - Florida , California , Hawaii / YPB&R Survey / April 2005
More Than 88% of Travelers Not Able to Let Go of Their Cell Phone, Laptop, or PDA While on Vacation / Travelocity Survey / June 2005

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