ORLANDO, Fla. – Affluent travelers intend to spend more money on travel, according to a recent survey by MMGY Global, an integrated travel marketing agency, and the Harrison Group. Almost 30 percent plan to take more trips, versus just 18 percent for the general population of leisure travelers.
The pool of affluent travelers is also increasing, since six percent of leisure travelers now have an annual household income of $250,000 or more, compared to four percent in 2010. Women make up a majority of these well-off travelers at 54 percent, up from 42 percent in 2010.
These travelers also plan to spend 8.4 percent more on vacations in the upcoming year than in 2010.
“This data coincides with a growing sense of optimism on the part of affluent consumers,” explains Steve Cohen, vice president of Insights at MMGY Global. “They reflect their expectation that the economy will continue to improve, and their willingness to spend more on discretionary items and experiences like leisure travel as a result.”
Additional results from the “2013 Portrait of American Travelers” includes:
1.) About 82 percent of affluent travelers are married, compared to 77 percent in 2010.
2.) Affluent travelers are older, with an average age of 49 in 2013, up from 43 in 2010. Just one percent of this group was retired in 2010, compared with 14 percent today.
3.) Seven in 10 (69 percent) of affluent travelers choose an international destination during the past 12 months.
4.) Affluent travelers reported spending 40 minutes per day with social media platforms, such as Facebook (69 percent).
5.) The Internet is used to research travel information by 91 percent of affluent travelers.
For more information, visit www.mmgyglobal.com/research.
