New data from leading economy lodging brand Motel 6 suggests that Americans who’ll be celebrating various winter holidays this year intend to gather with family and friends for an average of 10 or more gatherings this year.
For its sixth annual holiday travel survey, Motel 6 polled over U.S. travelers who plan to observe a winter holiday this season and discovered that Americans are planning on significant amounts of travel to attend festivities. A remarkable 84 percent of participants are planning to travel for at least one get-together and, among those, more than half (52 percent) anticipate taking more trips than in 2022.
Eighty-five percent of respondents said that the joy they get from spending time with loved ones transcends any holiday travel-related hassles. Notably, 65 percent of those surveyed who intend to travel over the holidays travel will stay at hotels, marking an increase of almost 20 percent over to the previous year.
And, humans aren’t the only ones readying to hit the road. This holiday season, pets are joining the journeys of three out of five (60 percent) respondents, a notable rise from the 22 percent recorded in the previous year. The collective eagerness to celebrate extends beyond a single gathering, as respondents anticipate celebrating holidays multiple times, averaging more than 10 holiday gatherings per person.
People’s eagerness to celebrate goes beyond just a single gathering per occasion. Pollees said they expect to celebrate some holidays multiple times, raising the average number of anticipated gatherings to 10 per person.
End-of-year observances continue to be about coming together with loved ones, with 66 of those surveyed saying they prefer traditional holiday celebrations with their family and only 20 percent preferring to use the time for a solo trip. However, the excitement (and stress) of attending family gatherings can also prompt a desire for personal space. Over half (53 percent) of respondents start feeling run down after four hours, and nearly one-fifth (19 percent) saying it takes only an hour or two before they start looking forward to alone time.
"The final months of the year are filled with love, excitement and festivities with friends and family," said Julie Arrowsmith, President and CEO of G6 Hospitality, parent company of Motel 6 and Studio 6. "From Friendsgiving to New Year's Day, we are here to offer affordable rates and discounts on our My6 app so you can focus on making memories with loved ones, including those with four legs!"
Today’s economic climate also factors significantly into people’s holiday plans, with 82 of those respondents who will of those celebrating winter holidays indicating that it’s impacting them. Among other things, it’s affecting Americans’ lodging choices, with 55 percent turning to affordable options for their upcoming trips.
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