Peter Yesawich, Ph. D, president and CEO of YPartnership, discussed consumer travel habits, preferences and intentions during the third virtual Resort Conference webinar session, 'Emerging Lifestyles and Travel Trends: Implications for Resort Marketing.'
The 90-minute session, moderated by David L. Corsun, Ph.D., director and associate professor of the School of Hotel, Restaurant, and Tourism Management, Daniels College of Business, University of Denver, presented research findings revealed in Ypartnership's National Travel Monitor(TM) and travelhorizons(TM) surveys, and their implications for future resort marketing practices.
Yesawich noted that their Traveler Sentiment Index is on the upswing, with the biggest factor being the perceived current affordability of travel, cited by 97% of surveyed travelers. Also, despite the economy, '54 percent of active travel households are planning travel in the next six months, up from 50 percent last year.' Travelers are 'trading down, not out.' Consumers are seeking out packages to book, staying fewer nights, and comparison shopping online to save money.
'Personalization will become the new service strategy for many resorts,' Yesawich stated. 'As consumers become more comfortable with the idea of paying a premium to get what they want, personalization will become key.'
Yesawich also touched upon the issue of time poverty and how many travelers feel that they don't have enough time for vacations.
'Ease of access is the single greatest challenge for resorts in remote locations,' said Yesawich. 'If a consumer is going on a four day vacation, they don't want to spend two days traveling, and are more likely to pick a closer vacation spot.' He also noted that, according to their research, 'the older and more affluent you are, the less interested you become in traditional resort destinations, and the more likely you are to choose an urban destination.'
The Resort Conference, which is co-produced by HSMAI and the School of Hotel, Restaurant & Tourism Management at the University of Denver, concludes Wednesday, May 13 with 'Managing Group Sales Contracts in a World Gone Mad,' from 2 p.m.-3:15 p.m. EST.
The virtual conference webinars are being offered free to the first 100 qualified hotel sales & marketing professionals registered for each session thanks to the generous support of a coalition of industry partners, including American Express, Fareed Zapala Koepke, Cendyn, ClickSquared, Dana Communications, E-proDirect, ICE Portal, Incite Response and PAR Springer-Miller Systems. Additional registrants can attend the webinars for a nominal charge.
Visit www.resortconference.com for more information and registration.
About HSMAI
HSMAI is an organization of sales and marketing professionals representing all segments of the hospitality industry. With a strong focus on education, HSMAI has become the industry champion in identifying and communicating trends in the hospitality industry, and bringing together customers and members at annual events, including HSMAI's Affordable Meetings(R). Founded in 1927, HSMAI is an individual membership organization comprising more than 7,000 members worldwide, with 40 chapters in the Americas Region. For more information on HSMAI, contact the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International, 1760 Old Meadow Road, Suite 500, McLean, Va. 22102, (703) 506-3280, fax (703) 506-3266, or visit the website at www.hsmai.org.
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