Study: affluent Americans make ideal travel consumers
You may have guessed it but a study underscores it: Affluent Americans earning incomes above $100,000 have many of the same qualities of ideal travel targets — they have passports, a desire to “stand out” and disposable incomes.
They are three times more likely to spend more than others, says the 2011 Epsos Mendehlson Affluent Survey.
“Effectively, 50 percent to 60 percent of all expenditures in the travel world come from these people,” said Bob Shullman, president of New York-based Ipsos Mendehlson. “The affluent are very important and … do drive the travel trade.”
According to the study, almost two-third of affluent Americans — who account for just over one-fifth of the population — have a passport, compared with about one-third of all Americans.
Seventy-six percent of those surveyed told Ipsos Mendehlson that they planned to take a vacation this year, with 28 percent saying the travel would be international.
Their top destinations visited in the last 12 months were domestic, with Las Vegas, New York, Orlando and Los Angeles heading the list.
Internationally, the Atlantic/Caribbean region, Europe and Mexico were the top three destinations visited by “affluents.”
While sightseeing, taking walks, visiting family and friends and going to the beach were top vacation activity picks, shopping came in at No. 1, which was perhaps not surprising given the demographics.
But that hardly makes the affluent big spenders.
Ipsos Mendehlson found that only 16 percent flew in first or business class when traveling. A mere three percent flew private aircraft.
Like any consumer, upper end travelers are looking for value for money spent, Shullman said.
“For those travel suppliers who can provide value, people are still willing to pay,” he said. “This may be just an inference, but those who think they can charge extortion-type rates and get away without providing value are going to have problems.”
By David Wilkening
David
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