ccording to the Fall 2003 Survey of
America's Affluent, a poll of the wealthiest 10% of Americans
conducted by the American Affluence Research Center, three times as
many affluent Americans said they will spend more on domestic
travel in the next year than those who said they will spend less
(33% vs. 11%).
However, those planning to take a cruise have remained static
over the past 12 months (13% planned to in fall 2002 vs. 13% for
fall 2003). Moreover, the survey indicates that cruising becomes
more popular as age, income and net worth increase.
The Internet is being embraced by the affluent, both as a way to
conduct research for travel and as a way to book. More than seven
in 10 respondents (71%) said they have conducted online research
for nonbusiness air travel in the past year. And nearly two-thirds
(63%) said they have researched lodging for nonbusiness travel via
the Internet in the past 12 months.
In addition, significant percentages of respondents said they
have booked nonbusiness air (57%) or nonbusiness lodging (48%)
through the Internet in the past 12 months.
Art Pfenning is the research director for Northstar Travel
Media, Travel Weekly's parent company. Send e-mail to [email protected].