National News

Multi-generational travel takes off

More Americans are embarking on multi-generational or multi-family journeys, a trend in vacationing that has captured the attention and marketing efforts of the travel industry. The number of people taking or planning group vacations is on the rise, particularly since the 9/11 terror attacks, travel analysts say. About 38 percent of travelers took at least one trip last year that included three or more family generations, according to the Travel Industry Association (TIA).
Source: Travel Advance

Hotels plan big improvements

According to a study conducted by Pricewaterhouse-Coopers Hospitality & Leisure Practice in New York, the hotel industry will raise its spending on renovations by 37 percent next year, speeding up improvements now that travel is rebounding. Hoteliers will spend $4.1 billion on upgrades and renovations in 2005, compared with $3 billion this year.
Source: Travel Advance

Theme park attendance up in ‘04

Attendance at North America’s 50 most popular theme and amusement parks jumped almost 4 percent in 2004, the first overall increase since the 2001 terrorist attacks slowed the U.S. travel and tourism industry. An estimated 169.1 million visitors rode thrill rides and romped around with costumed characters at the North American parks according to an annual survey by the trade publication Amusement Business and the research firm Economics Research Associates.

The increase was helped by a jump in international visitors at destination parks, spurred by a weakening U.S. dollar and a rebound in U.S. travel. The most-attended park in the world in 2004 was the Magic Kingdom at Orlando’s Walt Disney World with 15.1 million visitors. Disneyland in California was next with 13.3 million and Tokyo Disneyland third, with 13.2 million visitors.
Source: Travel Advance

Latest in luxury: The 6-star hotel

As luxury travel rebounds, some hoteliers are rolling out a new class of over-the-top hotels and resorts and declaring themselves six stars. With amenities like personal butlers and private swimming pools and prices that soar quickly into thousands of dollars a night, they are targeted at the leisure classes with bullet-proof bank accounts. Horst Schulze, former chairman of the Ritz-Carlton hotel company, says he is planning to launch a six-star chain next year, including an Austrian chateau as well as properties in Mexico, Ireland, Southern Italy and Atlanta.
Source: Travel Advance

TIA predicts record winter travel

Whether they will be frolicking in the snow or sunning on the beach, Americans will be traveling in record numbers this winter, says the TIA. TIA’s latest seasonal forecast predicts that Americans will take more than 243 million person-trips this winter, an increase of 2.6 percent from last winter. After being relatively flat the past two winter seasons, leisure travel in the December-February period is expected to grow a healthy 3.5 percent over last winter. Business travel is forecast to increase 3 percent over last winter.
Source: Travel Advance