Marriott International's first-ever Summer Travel Trend Report sheds new light on the places and things Americans are seeking out this summer.
The Bethesda, Maryland-based hotel giant's analysis of nearly two million Marriott.com searches and bookings over the past two months for travel between Memorial Day and Labor Day found Orlando, Florida to be the No. 1 Memorial Day destination in 2017 and one of the top U.S. destinations for all of summer.
AAA also settled on Orlando as the top Memorial Day tourist draw this year.
Trailing the Theme Park Capital of the World as the most-searched Memorial Day destinations are New York, Washington D.C., Chicago and San Diego.
Interestingly, only San Diego qualifies as a legitimate beach destination. However, beaches and parks are both in with the younger crowd during 2017. Marriott's research found that 55 percent of millennials expect to visit the beach this summer while more than one-third will include a state or national park in their plans.
Nearly two-thirds of millennials (64 percent) are also saving their longest vacation of the year for summer while nearly half are likely to wind up somewhere familiar, with 44 percent acknowledging they prefer the same destination every summer.
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Fourth of July
New Orleans' reputation for simply being a Mardi Gras mecca is ancient history. The Big Easy is the most-searched destination for Independence Day 2017, according to Marriott's report, beating out stiff competition from New York, Orlando, Chicago and San Diego.
Searching for a July 4 activity to participate in with your spouse? Consider taking in a parade.
According to Marriott's data, married couples are three times as likely as singles to prefer a parade on America's birthday. Memorial Day and Fourth of July weekend travelers are also showing increased interest in places like Aruba, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
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Longer Trips, More Packages
More Americans are looking to capitalize on the extended holiday weekends this summer.
With July 4 falling on a Tuesday this year, five-day stays through Marriott are up 67 percent compared to 2016's Fourth of July weekend. Plus, more than one-third of Marriott customers are booking three-to-five day stays for the Memorial Day and July 4 holidays in 2017, signaling a 70 percent rise in longer-than-average stays compared to non-holiday summer weekends.
"This summer, travelers are looking beyond typical beach-centric destinations and considering places like Orlando, New York, Chicago and New Orleans to explore with their families and friends," said Marriott's global officer of digital, distribution and global sales Brian King in a statement.
"They're also more eager this year than last year to bring their pets, stay a little longer and seek out good value."
Oftentimes, that good value King's referring to comes in the form of packages offering complimentary breakfast, Wi-Fi and other perks. Marriott's Summer Travel Trend Report 2017 found that travelers booked package rates roughly 7 percent more often for summer holiday weekend vacations compared to non-holiday trips.
"We're seeing packages grow because people are opting for once-and-done vacations, where they can get on with enjoying rather than budgeting," added King.
Summer travelers are also looking to save money by bringing their pets with them for the longer weekends. Marriott's report shows a 70 percent increase in searches for pet-friendly hotels during this summer's holiday weekends compared to non-holiday summer weekends.
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