What Are You Doing For Summer Vacation?

Whether getting your kicks on Route 66 or planning that dream getaway to Europe, the summer is a time for adventure, fun, and soaking up the sun. Or is it? A recent study from Ipsos Public Affairs uncovers some surprises regarding America's vacation plans for summer 2008.

It seems we will not be as fun-loving and relaxed this summer as we were last. Compared to 2007, much fewer people are planning to have a summer vacation this year, with only one-third (33%) of those polled taking a trip or time off. This change represents a drop of seven percentage points as 40% of respondents reported taking a summer holiday in 2007.

Repeat vacationers are also cutting back. Among those who took a vacation last year, only 57% say they plan to travel again this summer. So why are we staying put? Most of those who took a vacation last year, but do not plan to do so this year, cite economic reasons as their primary reason for not vacationing. Yes, just like it was when that other Clinton ran for President, it's the economy, stupid!

Clearly, many Americans are not pumped about what they are seeing at the pumps. Higher gas prices--as reported by 20% of those who took off last summer but don't plan to do so this summer--significantly contribute to grounding America's wanderlust. An equal number (20%) cite the fact that they just can't afford a vacation this year. Others blame an uncertain economy (13%) or a weak dollar (2%).

These economic concerns are echoed even by those who are planning a vacation. Many of them feel uneasy about taking it easy this summer. Among those who are planning on taking a summer vacation this year, almost half (48%) say their plans will be scaled-back due to uncertainty in the economy. The two most likely ways in which their plans will be altered including eating out less (27%) and staying closer to home (24%).

For those planning on taking a vacation, most are staying domestic. The primary destinations cited are the Southern U.S. (21%) and the Western U.S. (19%). While the majority will stay within U.S. borders, 19% are still planning international travel. Top overseas destinations include warm-weather locations such as Mexico (5%) and the Caribbean (5%).

These are some of the findings of an Ipsos poll conducted April 7-14, 2008 on behalf of Access America Travel Insurance and Assistance. For the survey, a nationally representative sample of 1,000 randomly-selected adults aged 18 and over residing in the U.S. interviewed by telephone via Ipsos' U.S. Telephone Express omnibus. With a sample of this size, the results are considered accurate within 1773.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, of what they would have been had the entire adult population in the U.S. been polled. The margin of error will be larger within regions and for other sub-groupings of the survey population. These data were weighted to ensure the sample's regional and age/gender composition reflects that of the actual U.S. population according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.