The Expedia® group today reported that spring break travel is on the upswing for 2013, with solid travel demand (net room nights, NRN) and increasing average daily rates (ADR) for stays between March 1 and March 24.
Most traditional U.S. spring break hotspots, (Miami, Ft. Lauderdale and Panama City, Fl., New Orleans, La., and Lake Havasu City, Az.,) are enjoying healthy business increases in both ADR and travel demand.
Miami’s $237 ADR is the highest among spring break perennials, while at $101; Lake Havasu City is the most affordable. Both Panama City and Miami are recording double-digit increases in ADR and total bookings, while Fort Lauderdale is experiencing a resurgence in spring break activity with a 27 percent increase in travel demand year-over-year and a three percent ADR bump. New Orleans, La., second to Fort Lauderdale in bookings gains with a 22 percent increase, is showing a four percent increase in ADR for a $6 premium.
Only South Padre Island, Texas, is experiencing a decline in bookings (21 percent) and an increase in ADR (15 percent).
Bookings on
Expedia Channels
Through 2/28/13 for stays
March 1-24 ADR ADR YoY NRN YoY
Fort Lauderdale, FL $ 169 3% 27%
Lake Havasu City, AZ $ 101 6% 4%
Miami, FL $ 237 15% 17%
New Orleans, LA $ 175 4% 22%
Panama City, FL $ 174 17% 15%
South Padre Island, TX $ 181 15% -21%
“Expedia’s data supports the industry trends that have been reported by PKF Hospitality Research (PKF), Smith Travel Research (STR), and the U.S. Office of Travel and Tourism Industries, (OTTI), all of which indicate positive trends for the U.S. travel sector,” said Melissa Maher, Senior Vice President at Expedia. “As the economy improves, people seem to be willing to spend a bit more on their vacations, which is great news for our hotel partners.”
About Expedia, Inc.
Expedia, Inc. is the largest online travel company in the world, with an extensive brand portfolio that includes some of the world’s leading online travel brands, including:
• Expedia.com®, the world’s largest full service online travel agency, with localized sites in 30 countries
• Hotels.com®, the hotel specialist with sites in more than 60 countries
• Hotwire®, a leading discount travel site that offers opaque deals in 11 countries on its 10 sites in North America, Europe and Asia
• Egencia®, the world's fifth largest corporate travel management company
• eLong™, the second largest online travel company in China
• Venere.com®, the online hotel reservation specialist in Europe
• trivago®, a leading online hotel search company with sites in 33 countries
• Expedia Local Expert®, a provider of in-market concierge services, activities and experiences in 18 markets worldwide
• Classic Vacations®, a top luxury travel specialist
• Expedia® CruiseShipCenters®, one of North America’s leading retail cruise vacation experts
The company delivers consumers value in leisure and business travel, drives incremental demand and direct bookings to travel suppliers, and provides advertisers the opportunity to reach a highly valuable audience of in-market travel consumers through Expedia Media Solutions. Expedia also powers bookings for some of the world’s leading airlines and hotels, top consumer brands, high traffic websites, and thousands of active affiliates through Expedia® Affiliate Network. (NASDAQ: EXPE) For corporate and industry news and views, visit us at www.expediainc.com or follow us on Twitter @expediainc.
