After four years of working for GlobeSt.com, I have finally bypassed the two week’s vacation and now have approximately three weeks of vacation time per year. That is 15 days free and clear that I can (and am actually encouraged) to take. But what I have just realized in looking at my calendar this week is that we are more than halfway through summer and I have yet to really use any of those days.
I had all these sun-filled long-weekend getaway plans to local hot spots like Catalina, Palm Springs, Solvang, and Pismo Beach, but for some reason—unbeknownst to me—I have yet to book any of them, and it is now August! Sure I can blame my husband for the vacation procrastination (since he doesn’t yet have as many days as I do) or like so many others, I can make it a simple reason and blame the “state of the economy” but I’m honest, neither of those are the answer. What makes me happy to learn, is that I am not alone.
Travel Ticker recently revealed the results of its annual 2011 Summer Travel Intentions Survey. The poll was conducted in June 2011 and revealed the opinions of nearly 2,000 US consumers on their summer leisure travel intentions. The results indicated that 86% of respondents are planning on taking at least one vacation this summer, which is up from 79% last year. However, most (70%) said they have not yet booked their vacations. Sounds familiar!
But I thought travel was back? At least the American Automobile Association predicted it to be. And according to recent GlobeSt.com articles, it certainly seems to be. For example, as Daniel Lesser, president and CEO of LW Hospitality Advisors based in New York City, recently wrote on GlobeSt.com, even with the sluggish economy, US hotel occupancy, average rate, and resultant RevPAR is anticipated to remain positive.
With the development of new supply of US hotel rooms relatively muted for the foreseeable future, lodging fundamentals are rebounding as corporate and group meeting business continue to increase from cyclical lows. The perceived long-term upside in the lodging sector has resulted in heighted transaction activity and pricing of all types of hotel assets.
If the hotel market is doing this well without my help, and without the help of all of those others who have planned but not taken their vacations, imagine how well it would do if we would all book those fabulous getaways we are thinking about. Please join me: Do your part to boost RevPAR by taking a vacation soon.
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Natalie Dolce
Natalie Dolce, editor-in-chief of GlobeSt.com and GlobeSt. Real Estate Forum, is responsible for working with editorial staff, freelancers and senior management to help plan the overarching vision that encompasses GlobeSt.com, including short-term and long-term goals for the website, how content integrates through the company’s other product lines and the overall quality of content. Previously she served as national executive editor and editor of the West Coast region for GlobeSt.com and Real Estate Forum, and was responsible for coverage of news and information pertaining to that vital real estate region. Prior to moving out to the Southern California office, she was Northeast bureau chief, covering New York City for GlobeSt.com. Her background includes a stint at InStyle Magazine, and as managing editor with New York Press, an alternative weekly New York City paper. In her career, she has also covered a variety of beats for M magazine, Arthur Frommer's Budget Travel, FashionLedge.com, and Co-Ed magazine. Dolce has also freelanced for a number of publications, including MSNBC.com and Museums New York magazine.
