Couples and Travel - US - February 2006

Table of Contents

• Introduction and Abbreviations
• Introduction
• Other relevant reports
• Definition
• Data for this report
• Abbreviations & terms
• AbbreviationsTermsExecutive Summary
• Couples without children travel more than the general population
• Those aged 45-74 comprise the core of the market
• Baby Boomers promise growth and warrant most attention
• Younger couples are a smaller, but highly active market
• Travel preferences and activity
• International and domestic travel
• Air travel
• Car travel
• Lodging
• Demographic Overview
• Relevant total demographics
• Projected demographic changes by age
  • Figure 1: U.S. population, by age, 2000-10
• Income by age
  • Figure 2: Median household income perhousehold member, by age of householder, 2003
• Marital status
• OverviewFigure 3: Marital status, by age, 2003
• Unmarried householdsFigure 4: Unmarried opposite-sexhouseholds, by age, are shown in the following Figure.
• Demographics of couples without children
• Couples without children by age group
  • Figure 5: Distribution of married-couplehouseholds without children in the home, by age, 2005
  • Figure 6: Graph: Distribution ofmarried-couple households without children in the home, by age, 2005
• Couples without children by income groups
  • Figure 7: Incidence of domestic andoverseas travel--couples without children, by household income, May2004-May 2005
  • Figure 8: Travel activity in the last 12months--couples without children, by household income, May 2004-May2005
  • Figure 9: Distribution of married-couplehouseholds without children in the home, by household income, 2005
  • Figure 10: Graph: Distribution ofmarried-couple households without children in the home, by householdincome, 2005
• Couples without children by race/ethnicity
  • Figure 11: Distribution of married-couplehouseholds without children in the home, by race/ethnicity, 2005
  • Figure 12: Graph: Distribution ofmarried-couple households without children in the home, byrace/ethnicity*, 2005
  • Figure 13: Total U.S. population, by age,by race/Hispanic origin, 2005
• Cohort groups
• "Alex and Judith": Affluent Empty Nesters"Stan and Carole": Upscale Middle-Aged Couples"Brett & Tracey": Hyperactive Newlyweds"Ronnie & Debbie": Working-class Couples"Eric & Rachel": Young, Married StartersTravel Trends and Habits by Generations
• Travel activity overview
  • Figure 14: Incidence of domestic andoverseas travel--all households vs those without children, May 2004-May2005
  • Figure 15: Travel spend and length ofhotel stay--all households vs those without children, May 2004-May 2005
• The big boom in Boomer travel
• Swing generation continues to travel
• Gen X and Echo Boomers--pre-family couples
• Travel Preferences and Activity
• Introduction
• Seeking ideas for destinations
  • Figure 16: Use of travelmagazines--couples without children, by age, December 2005
  • Figure 17: Use of travelmagazines--couples without children, by household income, December 2005
• Frequency of leisure travel that uses travel services
  • Figure 18: Frequency of leisure travelusing travel services in the last 12 months--couples without children,by age and household income, December 2005
• Destinations on most recent trip
  • Figure 19: New, return or multiplelocations and type of location for last trip--couples without children,by age, December 2005
• Destinations on trips during the past two years
  • Figure 20: New, return or multiplelocations and types of locations for trips in the past twoyears--couples without children, by age, December 2005
• Travel companions
  • Figure 21: Travel partners in leisuretrips of last two years--all and couples without children, December2005
  • Figure 22: Travel partners in the last twoyears--couples without children, by gender, December 2005
  • Figure 23: Travel partners on last leisuretrip--couples without children, by age, December 2005
• Frequency of travel with spouse
  • Figure 24: Number of trips with spouse orsignificant other--couples without children, by age, December 2005
• Preferred types of vacations
  • Figure 25: General attitudes towardvacation & travel--married cohorts without children, May 2004-May2005
• Primary purpose of most recent trip
  • Figure 26: Primary purpose of the lasttrip--all and couples without children, December 2005
  • Figure 27: Primary purpose of the tripstaken in the last two years--couples without children, by householdincome, December 2005
• Activities during trips of past two years
  • Figure 28: Activities undertaken duringtrips tin the last two years--all and couples without children,December 2005
• Preferences for short trips
  • Figure 29: Preference for shorttrips--couples without children, by age, December 2005
  • Figure 30: Have visited a theme park inthe last 12 months--couples without children, by age, household incomeand cohorts, May 2004-May 2005
• International and Domestic Travel Activity
• Introduction
• International vs. domestic travel
  • Figure 31: Preference for domestic vsforeign travel--couples without children, by age, household income andcohorts, May 2004-May 2005
• International travel and flights in the last three years
  • Figure 32: Any foreign travel and foreigntravel by plane in the last three years--all and couples withoutchildren, by number of trips, May 2004-May 2005
  • Figure 33: Any foreign travel in the lastthree years--couples without children, by age, household income andcohorts, May 2004--2005
• Purpose of recent international travel
  • Figure 34: Purpose of last trip to aforeign country--all and couples without children, by cohorts, May2004-May 2005
• Type of accommodation during international travel
  • Figure 35: Lodging in a foreigncountry--all and couples without children, by cohorts, May 2004-May2005
• Popular international travel destinations
  • Figure 36: Destination for last trip to aforeign country--couples without children, by cohorts, May 2004-May2005
• Transportation to an international destination
  • Figure 37: Methods of transportation usedfor last trip taken to a foreign country--couples without children, bycohorts, May 2004-May 2005
• Domestic travel
• Incidence of domestic travel
  • Figure 38: Domestic travel in the last 12months--all and couples without children, May 2004-May 2005
  • Figure 39: Domestic travel--coupleswithout children, by age and household income, May 2004-May 2005
• Nights spent away, domestic travel
• Purpose of recent domestic travel
  • Figure 40: Motivations for domestictrip--couples without children, by cohorts, May 2004-May 2005
• Air Travel
  • Figure 41: Domestic travel in the last 12months and # of plane trips--couples without children, by age,household income and cohorts, May 2004-May 2005
• Willingness to sacrifice time, convenience for low fares
  • Figure 42: Sacrificing convenience forsavings in airfare--couples without children, by age, December 2005
• Last-minute trips by plane
  • Figure 44: Last-minute trips byplane--couples without children, by age, December 2005
  • Figure 45: Last-minute trips byplane--couples without children, by household income, December 2005
• Dedicated flights for those without children
  • Figure 46: Attitudes towards dedicatedflights for those traveling without children--all and couples withoutchildren, December 2005
  • Figure 47: Attitudes towards dedicatedflights for those traveling without children--couples without children,by age, December 2005
  • Figure 48: Attitudes towards dedicatedflights for those traveling without children--couples without children,by household income, December 2005
• Car Travel
• Introduction
• Vacation trips taken in personal cars
• Fly vs. drive
• Renting a vehicle for business or personal use
  • Figure 49: Vehicle rental in the last 12months--couples without children, by age, household income and cohorts,May 2004-May 2005
• Frequency of car rental
  • Figure 50: Vehicle rental in the last 12months--couples without children, by age and household income, May2004-May 2005
• Last-minute trips by car
  • Figure 51: Last-minute trips bycar--couples without children, by age, December 2005
• Lodging
• Choice of lodging, most recent domestic trip
  • Figure 52: Accommodations for lastdomestic trip--couples without children, by age, May 2004-May 2005
  • Figure 53: Accommodations for lastdomestic trip--couples without children, by household income, May2004-May 2005
  • Figure 54: Accommodations for lastdomestic trip--couples without children, by cohorts, May 2004-May 2005
• Extent of domestic hotel/motel usage
  • Figure 55: Incidence of staying in ahotel/motel in the last 12 months and length of stay--all and coupleswithout children, May 2004-May 2005
  • Figure 56: Incidence of staying in ahotel/motel in the last 12 months and length of stay--couples withoutchildren, by age, May 2004-May 2005
  • Figure 57: Incidence of staying in ahotel/motel in the last 12 months and length of stay--couples withoutchildren, by household income, May 2004-May 2005
• Hotels--just a place to sleep?
  • Figure 58: Hotels--just a place tosleep?--couples without children, by gender, December 2005
  • Figure 59: Hotels--just a place tosleep?--couples without children, by age, December 2005
  • Figure 60: Hotels--just a place tosleep?--couples without children, by household income, December 2005
• Preferences for boutique hotels
  • Figure 61: Prefer boutique hotels ratherthan chains--couples without children, by gender, December 2005
  • Figure 62: Prefer boutique hotels ratherthan chains--couples without children, by age, December 2005
  • Figure 63: Prefer boutique hotels ratherthan chains--couples without children, by household income, December2005
• Loyalty to a particular hotel or hotel chain
  • Figure 64: Loyal to a particular hotel orhotel chain even if not the cheapest available?--couples withoutchildren, by age, December 2005
  • Figure 65: Loyal to a particular hotel orhotel chain even if not the cheapest available?--couples withoutchildren, by household income, December 2005
• Interest in dedicated hotel areas for those without children
  • Figure 66: Would enjoy dedicated hotelareas for those traveling without children--all and couples withoutchildren, December 2005
  • Figure 67: Would enjoy dedicated hotelareas for those traveling without children--couples without children,by age, December 2005
  • Figure 68: Would enjoy dedicated hotelareas for those traveling without children--couples without children,by household income, December 2005
  • Figure 69: Have visited a resort in thelast 12 months--couples without children, by age, household income andcohorts, May 2004-May 2005
• Appendix: Trade Associations
• Appendix: Simmons Cohort Definitions
  • Figure 70: Married couples cohorts
  • Figure 71: Single women cohorts
  • Figure 72: Single men cohorts
• Appendix: Research Methodology
• Consumer Research
• Datascension, Inc. and Harris Interactive Service Bureau
• Greenfield Online
• ICR Surveys EXCEL
• Simmons National Consumer Surveys
• Technometrica TechnoExpresssm
• Trade Research
• Informal trade research
• Formal trade research
• Desk & Internet Research
• Sources
• Definitions
• Forecasts
• Appendix: What is Mintel?
• Mintel Group
• Mintel Reports
• Mintel Premier
• Mintel GNPD
• Mintel Menu Insights
• Mintel Comperemedia
• Mintel Custom Solutions