{"id":18111,"date":"2012-05-10T11:00:25","date_gmt":"2012-05-10T11:00:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com\/stories\/?p=18111"},"modified":"2021-10-28T16:47:07","modified_gmt":"2021-10-28T16:47:07","slug":"expedia-flip-flop-report","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com\/stories\/expedia-flip-flop-report\/","title":{"rendered":"Expedia Flip Flop Report"},"content":{"rendered":"

Expedia 2012 Flip Flop Report<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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<\/a>\u00a0\"Expedia<\/a><\/strong><\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

Expedia Releases 2012 Flip Flop Report:
\nStudy Examines Beachgoer Behavior and Preferences
\nAcross Five Continents <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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Global study reveals attitudes toward price, beach quality, sharks and nudity;<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Expedia responds to surge in beach interest by launching the biggest Summer Sale in its history and the \u201cExpedia Beachgoer\u201d Facebook App<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

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Bellevue, Wash., May 16, 2012 \u2013 Expedia.com<\/u><\/a>\u00ae, the world\u2019s largest online travel agency, today released the results of the 2012 Flip Flop Report, an analysis of behavior and preferences among beachgoers in North America, South America, Europe, Asia and Australia. Harris Interactive, on behalf of Expedia.com, conducted the online study among 8,599 adults in 21 countries.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Among other findings, Expedia\u2019s Flip Flop Report revealed that the beach is by far the favorite destination for the majority of the world\u2019s travelers. The average beach holiday<\/u><\/a>\u00a0is just about one week in length, at 7.7 days. Combined with results from Expedia\u2019s Vacation Deprivation\u00ae study[1]<\/u><\/a>, we can see in the US that Americans spend a full 40% of their allotted vacation days at the beach. In fact, when Americans were asked to choose between spending time at the beach and spending time with family<\/u><\/a>, the beach won handily.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Full details on the 2012 Flip Flop Report can be found here: www.expedia.com\/flipflop<\/u><\/a>. A summary of the Flip Flop Report\u2019s findings can also be found on pages 2 and 3 of this press release.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Expedia\u00ae has responded to the findings in the 2012 Flip Flop Report by crafting one of the largest Summer Sales in the company\u2019s history.<\/strong>The 2012 Summer Sale begins on May 15 and runs through August 31. Participating customers can realize savings that grow in accordance with their planned vacation. Customers that stay 1 to 4 nights can save up to 35% off at more than 12,000 hotels<\/u><\/a>\u00a0and resorts<\/u><\/a>\u00a0worldwide.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Expedia also recently conducted a survey[2]<\/u><\/a>\u00a0of American travelers; it found that a full41% of Americans \u2013 and nearly 1 in 2 men (49%) \u2013 have driven across the United States at one point, while 25% of men and 33% of women have \u201cnot done so but always wanted to.\u201d As such, Expedia has structured its Summer Sale to help more Americans experience the open road. For every $150 spent on select Summer Sale hotels this summer, consumers will earn a $25 gas card. For every $250 spent on those hotels, the gas card doubles in value to $50. Should a traveler spend $450 at one of the participating Summer Sale hotels, Expedia will give that traveler a $100 gas card.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Summer travelers aren\u2019t just stopping at saving on flights and hotels.\u00a0 There are more ways than ever to save on car rentals. In fact, some travelers found booking their hotel and car rental together yields a savings so great they offset the cost of the car, making it feel like a \u201cfree\u201d car rental.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Additional details on Expedia\u2019s 2012 Summer Sale, including a first-of-its-kind Expedia Beachgoer App, where travel bloggers have recommended their own favorite summer destinations, are featured on page 3 and 4 of this press release. They can also be found here: www.expedia.com\/summersale<\/u><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cBeach vacations are such an important part of how Americans travel. We\u2019ve just completed our first annual Flip Flop Report which digs deep into what people like about beach travel.\u00a0 Not surprisingly, what they like when they\u2019re planning a trip is saving money, so we\u2019re launching the biggest Summer Sale in Expedia\u2019s history,\u201d said Joe Megibow, vice president and general manager, Expedia.com.\u00a0 \u201cThe report also shows that, once people are actually on vacation, they find a wide variety of ways to have their own kind of fun, whether that\u2019s sports in the sand, surfing in the waves or whatever kind of sunbathing they prefer.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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Flip Flop Report Findings<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Despite the carefree nature of a sun-drenched week at the beach, beachgoers worldwide remain cost-conscious. In the US, the most important factor for 78% of beachgoers is the total trip price. The beach itself matters too \u2013 total vacation price and beach quality are the #1 and #2 criteria for travelers in 14 of the 21 countries surveyed \u2013 but the cost of the visit is the top consideration. The study also found:<\/span><\/p>\n

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The Popularity of the Beach is Unsurpassed<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

More than half (52%) of respondents plan to holiday at the beach in the next 12 months, compared to 45% who said they took a beach vacation the year prior. And while the average stay for a beach vacation is 7.7 days, this is less true of Koreans, Japanese and Singaporeans, who seem more likely to prefer beach weekends to extended stays. Additionally:<\/span><\/p>\n