Survey shows holiday travel rising this year

The TripAdvisor® annual December holiday travel survey shows, despite the current economic climate, 76 percent of respondents say the economy has not impacted their December holiday travel plans. Forty-three percent are planning to travel over the festive season this year, up from 38 percent who did so in 2010.
The majority of travelers intend to hit the road for the Christmas holiday, with 34 percent planning to travel, up from 32 percent in 2010 – while 16 percent plan to travel for New Year’s, up from 13 percent last year. Among those traveling, 59 percent will visit family or friends, 18 percent are planning a sunshine getaway and 11 percent intend to take a city break.

Holiday Air Travel on the Rise
While driving is the top choice among those traveling for the December holidays this year (48 percent), fewer motorists will take to the roads than in 2010, while airport traffic should see an increase compared to last year:
Holiday Travel
*Primary mode of transportation for the December holidays, among those who traveled in 2010 and / or 2011.
Trials and Tribulations of Holiday Travel
Fifty-one percent of those traveling for the December holidays expect to be stressed by the experience, with airline annoyances ranking top of the list of least enjoyable travel hurdles:

Airline delays and cancellations – 22%
Inclement weather – 21%
Price of transportation – 15%
Overcrowded airports – 11%
Bad traffic – 8%

Travelers’ Top Strategies for Seasonal Stress-Limitation

Traveling at off-peak hours – 47%
Paying for accommodation, rather than staying with family or friends – 14%
Traveling a shorter distance than usual – 8%
Consuming alcohol on a flight – 8%
Taking a sleeping pill on a flight – 4%

Top Five Holiday Travel Mishaps– and How to Overcome Them

• Stash emergency supplies in the trunk: 29 percent of travelers have experienced considerable traffic jams during their December holiday travels.
• Monitor airport developments: 23 percent have endured a holiday flight cancellation.
• Label all luggage, both inside and out: 14 percent have suffered the inconvenience of lost luggage over the holidays.
• Allow for extra time: eight percent have missed a flight over the holidays.
• Avoid a last-minute packing frenzy: eight percent have forgotten to pack gifts in their luggage.

Festive Fliers Plan Frugal Measures
Festive fliers have a number of thrifty tactics up their sleeves, in order to avoid or minimize baggage fees this holiday season:

Bring only carry-on bags – 33%
Fly with an airline that does not charge for checked bags – 27%
Have online gifts shipped directly to my holiday destination – 23%
Mail gifts to my holiday destination – 17%
Do laundry at my destination, to avoid checking bags – 17%

Additional Holiday Travel Tidbits

-23 percent have purchased last-minute gifts en route to their December holiday destination, with airports the top pick for face-saving purchases (11 percent).
-22 percent of those traveling plan to pack ornament earrings or other holiday-themed jewelry, 17 percent will carry holiday sweaters and 10 percent will travel with Santa hats.
-Among those who have traveled over the December holidays in years past, 23 percent think travelers behave towards one another with worse manners than usual during the “season of goodwill”, while 16 percent consider manners to be improved.
-49 percent of those traveling plan on using a smartphone or tablet device to plan or assist in their holiday travels this year.
-Among these mobile users, 80 percent will check the weather, 58 percent will research restaurants and 50 percent will use their device for navigation purposes.

“When it comes to traveling over a busy period such as the December holidays, preparedness is key – and with 43 percent of Americans planning to take to the skies, roads and more this festive season, travelers should anticipate significant crowds,” said Karen Drake, senior director of communications for TripAdvisor.