Online travel agency Booking.com revealed that it has signed on as the Official Online Travel Partner of Major League Baseball (MLB), making it easier for Americans to plan and book their baseball-inspired travels around the United States.
The leading digital travel marketplace stated that its goal in forming this strategic partnership is to simplify the way U.S. travelers plan their trips that center around America's National Pastime. As part and parcel of the long-term agreement, Booking.com now also becomes the official presenting sponsor of the American and National League Division Series.
Through a recently conducted survey, the OTA discovered that nearly half (49 percent) of U.S. baseball fans are planning a trip to attend at least one MLB game this year, with an impressive 61 percent of participants indicating that they're willing to travel as far as 500 miles away to do so.
Booking.com's research also revealed that, given the option, the vast majority (81 percent) of respondents would rather travel to see their favorite MLB team play in the World Series than win a free leisure trip to their rival team's state.
As it turns out, the three most important factors among Americans considering travel to attend an MLB game are the cost of the trip (63 percent), with 48 percent saying their maximum spending amount would be $400; their lodging's location in relation to the stadium (49 percent); and available transportation to and from the property (21 percent).
Booking.com affirmed its commitment to helping fans of the game make the most of their baseball-centric travels by offering the widest variety of lodging options, from snazzy urban apartments and rental homes in various MLB cities to ballpark-adjacent hotel properties that provide unparalleled access to the stadium, come game day.
Baseball on a mound with the field in the background. (photo via miflippo /iStock / Getty Images Plus)MLB already provides multiple platforms through which fans can access and engage with their favorite sport, from the official MLB app to MLB.com and MLB.tv. Aligning itself with the League's approach to supporting baseball's fandom, Booking.com plans to simplify the process of booking trips to games by integrating the OTA's travel planning capabilities into these MLB platforms.
Soon, a Booking.com icon will appear across the Clubs' digital schedule pages, which redirects users to search and book stays near Major League stadiums around the U.S. The platform also features advanced filters to help users find appropriate transportation options, on-site parking availability and more.
As baseball season comes into full swing, sports fans can head to Booking.com to search for accommodations in MLB cities, and take advantage of the site's Getaway Deals to save at least 15 percent on hotel and rental stays between April 4 and September 28, 2023.
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