Tax day, April 15, has come and gone in the United States - which means that a significant portion of the population will soon have refunds burning a hole in their pockets. And with the average refund clocking in at $2,790, there is a significant opportunity for travel marketers.
Rather than sock away the return under the mattress, the
Travel Leaders Group survey found that 43.8% of those polled planned on spending at least a portion of the refund on a vacation. Here's how the 'refund spending on travel' broke down:
- All of it: 27.4%
- $2,500-$2,999: 2.8%
- $2,000-$2,499: 7.7%
- $1,500-$1,999: 17.1%
- $1,000-$1,499: 27.4%
- $500-$999: 13.7%
- $1-$499: 3.9%
The survey continued to dive into the projected leisure travel habits - always a fascinating pursuit, as it pulls back the curtain on a certain segment's current travel proclivities.
- 94% of respondents will take at least one leisure trip this year.
- 90% of respondents indicated that the number of trips taken in 2013 will be the same or more than in 2012
- 83.4% said they will spend the same or more on leisure trips in 2013.
The breakdown of the above trends are as follows:
As far as inspiration, Australia tops the international dream destinations for those in the survey:
In the United States, Hawaii maintains its ever-present position at the forefront of travel dreams:
So if you are a marketer in any of these destinations, or working to increase conversions among US travelers, now is the time for relevant messaging targeted to the current influx of disposable cash in the United States!
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