CHICAGO, May 1, 2013 – More than three-quarters of Americans plan to take a summer vacation this year, with nearly half of all travelers planning a beach trip filled with salt, sand, sun and seafood as the preferred destination according to new survey data released by Orbitz (www.orbitz.com).1 When asked who they would be taking that vacation with, nearly half (45 percent) responded with the whole family, followed by 33 percent who will be traveling with a significant other.

The beach getaway was the runaway winner (42 percent) in regards to the type of vacation travelers are planning – historical/cultural (15 percent) and cruise (13 percent) were the second and third most popular vacation types respectively. Consumers’ desire for sandy summer travel was also reflected in the Orbitz Summer Travel Insider Index, which analyzed air and hotel booking data made through Orbitz.com. Beach locales Cancun, Los Angeles, Honolulu and Maui all made the Insider Index list of the top 10 most popular summer destinations, with Cancun coming in No. 3 behind only Orlando and Las Vegas. 

Many plan to take advantage of July Fourth falling on a Thursday; 66 percent plan to take the following Friday off, and 42 percent plan to take their summer vacation in July. 

“With the economy continuing to rebound, we’re seeing consumers move away from settling on a shorter summer road trip and think more about that big vacation to someplace like Cancun,” said Jeanenne Tornatore, senior travel editor for Orbitz.com. “Airfare has taken a dip from last summer, and there are great deals available through promotions and mobile booking; it makes it easier for you to take that big trip and still bring the whole family.” 

To that point, when consumers were asked what cost-saving tactic they are most likely to use to stay within their vacation budget, shortening the vacation came in last (11 percent) while eating some meals in the room instead of dining out was first (34 percent). 

Highlights from the Orbitz Summer Travel Insider Index include: 

●Orlando tops the list as the most popular destination for summer 2013 with affordable hotel rates ($131 per night) and airfare ($295) likely being a factor

●Airfare is down year-over-year to nine of the top summer destinations, with Denver (-14 percent), New York (-11 percent) and Honolulu (-10 percent) experiencing double-digit drops in ticket prices

●Of the top 10 summer hotspots, only Las Vegas (-3 percent) and Denver (-7 percent) are experiencing a drop in year-over-year hotel rates, signaling strong demand in the top summer hotel markets

 Affordable Summer Destinations

While the outlook for the travel industry mirrors the upward trend in the stock and housing markets, consumers remain cost-conscious when planning their summer vacation. Seventy-five percent of travelers surveyed said they plan to keep their summer vacation budget under $2,500 and nearly a third (31 percent) say if gas prices rise above $4, they will not cancel but scale back their summer vacation plans. 

 Top Drive Destinations by Region

A dip in airfare has freed up many Americans to fly farther from home this summer, for others the summer road trip remains an annual warm weather tradition. With the rise in mobile travel options – like the Orbitz apps for iPhone, iPad, Android and Kindle Fire – travelers are increasingly able to research, find and book hotels, all from the road.

To help travelers pick the hottest spot for their summer road trip, Orbitz has compiled the top three driving destinations for each region of the country – that is places where the number of room nights booked sees the biggest increase during the busy summer season.

                                Orbitz.com Top Summer Drive Destinations by Region

Region                             2013 Hotel             2012 Hotel              YOY Change

                                         Avg. Daily Rate     Avg. Daily Rate      

East Coast

        Ocean City, MD         $237                       $223                       6%

        Cape Cod                   $216                      $203                       6%

        Cooperstown, NY       $152                       $114                       33%

 Midwest

        Traverse City, MI      $179                       $154                       16%

        Wisconsin Dells, WI  $135                      $121                       12%

        Sandusky, OH            $109                     $103                        6%

West Coast

        Spokane, WA              $119                     $109                       10%

        Santa Barbara, CA      $267                     $229                       16%

        Napa Valley, CA          $296                      $217                       37%

    Southeast

        Carolina Beaches       $129                       $115                       12%

        Virginia Beach, VA     $210                        $197                       7%

        Panama City, FL        $190                         $179                       6%

   Southwest

       Flagstaff, AZ                  $117                       $96                        21%

    So. Padre Island, TX      $187                      $164                      14%

       Albuquerque, NM           $81                        $91                       -11%

    Mountain/Outdoor

        Yellowstone, MT           $242                      $241                       flat

        Rapid City, SD              $144                      $136                       6%

        Durango, CO                $149                      $146                       2%