National Parks and Outdoor Activities Climb in Popularity as Americans Go Leaner and Greener

Budoni in Sardinia, Italy is 2009's Travel Hotspot

NEWTON, Mass., Oct. 1 /PRNewswire/ -- TripAdvisor(R), the world's largest travel community, today announced the results of its annual travel trends survey of more than 3,000 U.S. travelers. The primary trends identified are that travelers appear to be going lean and green by visiting national parks, hiking, and engaging in adventure activities. A greater amount of Americans said they will be environmentally conscious in their travel decisions in 2009, and more plan to visit eco-friendly hotels in the coming year.

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TripAdvisor also unveiled its TravelCast list of emerging hotspots for 2009, and atop the list is Budoni, in Sardinia, Italy. The top emerging hotspot in the U.S. is St. George, Utah.

Park is the Place

Seventy-three percent of U.S. respondents said they plan to visit a national park in 2009, up from 62 percent one year ago. Fifty-three percent will go hiking in the coming year, up from 50 percent last year. Forty-seven percent of those surveyed plan to engage in an adventure activity, an increase from 40 percent in 2008. Thirty-three percent of travelers will go cycling and biking, up from 28 percent, and 11 percent of travelers are likely to participate in an extreme sports activity, compared to eight percent one year ago.

Easy Being Green

Thirty-four percent of U.S. respondents said they will visit an environmentally-friendly hotel or resort in the coming year, up from 30 percent in 2008. Thirty-two percent of those surveyed said they will be more environmentally conscious in their travel decisions this year, than they were the year before. Last year, 26 percent said they would be more environmentally conscious.

The Culture Club

Sixty-six percent of U.S. respondents said they will go to the theater in the coming year, compared to 58 percent last year. Eighty-seven percent said they will visit an historic site, up from 84 percent in 2008. Thirty-six percent will engage in an educational activity on vacation, up from 34 percent a year ago.

Germs on the Brain

Eighty-three percent of U.S. respondents are concerned about germs, bacteria and viruses when traveling. Airplanes are considered the most 'germy' by 34 percent of respondents, followed by public transportation, and hotels. Sixty percent of travelers surveyed said they wash and disinfect their hands more often while traveling than they ordinarily do.

Tipping on Trips

Eighty percent of respondents said they tip for room service, while only 59 percent tip the chambermaid. When asked who they think doesn't deserve a tip, the greatest percentage, 26 percent, said the concierge, as well as the doorman. Twenty-six percent said they avoid the bellman and the skycap, to bypass tipping them for their service. Fifty-eight percent of U.S. respondents said they normally tip 20 percent on restaurant bills, while 33 percent tip 15 percent.

Fuel a Factor

Sixty-one percent of travelers said the cost of fuel is an important consideration when choosing where to go on their next vacation. Eighteen percent of respondents said they will take more car trips this year because of declining fuel prices.

We're More Connected (To Email and Work)

Twenty-eight percent of U.S. respondents said they check email at least daily when on a long weekend vacation, up from 22 percent last year. When on a vacation of a week or more, 39 percent said they check email at least once a day, compared to 30 percent last year. Twenty-four percent of U.S. respondents said they think about work at least once a day while on vacation.

Flight Frustrations

Forty-nine percent of those surveyed said they have had more trouble booking desired flights in the past 12 months, than they did the previous year. Seventeen percent said they had a flight canceled this year because their route or flight was permanently eliminated from their carrier's schedule.