Summer travel remains a priority for most Americans despite the economic downturn, according to the latest American Express Spending & Saving Tracker. The survey found that more than half (51 percent) are planning a vacation this summer. That figure was even higher among affluent Americans (73 percent) and young professionals (83 percent).

On the other hand, nearly nine in 10 (89 percent) say they will stick to domestic destinations for their summer travel. Among those who say they will travel abroad, Europe remains popular. According to the survey, popular domestic cities for summer travel are Las Vegas, Orlando, San Francisco and Los Angeles. Those traveling to Europe are focused on London, Rome, Paris and Athens.

Those surveyed say they plan to spend an average of $1,000 per person on summer travel, indicating that the average family of four expects to spend about $4,000 on their summer vacation. That figure jumps to around $4,800 among young professionals and up to nearly $6,400 among affluent travelers. When it comes to vacation planning, more than a third (35 percent) of travelers surveyed say they turn to offline resources, including travel agents, for planning and booking.

This month’s American Express Spending & Saving Tracker surveyed consumers about their plans and spending intentions as they relate to summer travel and recreational activities. The research sample of 2,000 adults included the general U.S. population, as well as two subgroups -- the affluent and young professionals. “The summer vacation, and particularly, the family vacation is alive and well this year,” said Audrey Hendley, vice president of American Express Travel. “People are passionate about travel, and frequently we find that they would rather find creative ways to reduce the cost of their trip rather than do without it altogether. Other investments this summer tend to be around parents finding experiences and activities for their children at home -- ensuring a fun-packed summer.”

While family trips will be most popular (52 percent), a variety of other vacation types are being planned, including couples trips (26 percent); trips with friends such as “girlfriend getaways” and “mancations” (10 percent); a “staycation” focused on enjoying time off and attractions near home (11 percent); experiential or adventure vacations such as a culinary retreat or hiking trip (7 percent); and educational vacations (4 percent).

Of those taking a summer vacation, most (89 percent) say they will stay within the U.S., with destinations in the South (31 percent) and Northeast (29 percent) being the most frequented. A significantly smaller percentage of consumers (16 percent) plan to travel outside of the U.S., primarily to the Caribbean (6 percent), Canada (5 percent), and Europe (4 percent). Affluents (19 percent) are more likely to venture outside of the U.S. and young professionals (29 percent) are twice as likely as the general population to do so.

The 49 percent of people without summer vacation plans this year cited several factors. Among them: 44 percent said they had not saved for a vacation; 23 percent reported they plan to spend the money on something else like home improvements or local activities. Included in these, 18 percent plan to spend on family necessities; while 8 percent said they don’t have the time to either plan or take a vacation this year.

The vast majority (80 percent) of those who are traveling this summer say they have a strategy to reduce the cost of their summer vacations. And while travel is on the upswing, value still matters, with 80 percent of those with summer vacation plans saying they have strategies to reduce their vacation costs, including driving instead of flying (33 percent), taking shorter trip (30 percent), spending less on activities or excursions (27 percent), dedicating more time to bargain-hunting for deals on airfare and accommodations (24 percent), using points/rewards for travel (20 percent), and downgrading on accommodations (12 percent).

While on vacation, most (77 percent) of Americans say they intend to stay “connected” via Internet, phone, social media or other channels. However, the primary reason for doing so is to stay in touch with family and friends (89 percent), as opposed to staying on top of the news (31 percent) or work (14 percent). Aside from checking personal and/or work-related email (79 percent), the most popular online activities consumers plan to engage in while on vacation include using Internet sites to find trip-related information, recommendations/deals for restaurants/activities, and directions (38 percent); online banking (37 percent); checking/updating social media profiles (20 percent). Most consumers (65 percent) expect connectivity to be included in their vacation accommodations and are not willing to pay extra, but 35 percent would be willing to pay an additional fee. For access to previous American Express Spending & Saving Tracker results, visit www.americanexpress.com/aboutus. For more information, visit www.americanexpress.com.

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