Booking.com research: Last-minute trips on the rise

Booking.com, the global leader in connecting travelers with the widest choice of incredible places to stay, knows a thing or two about Labor Day travel, and this year is encouraging everyone to pack their bags and get away. While some might look forward to a relaxed Labor Day weekend at home, research released by Booking.com shows that taking a spontaneous trip could be the key to relieving stress and enhancing happiness.

The survey, which quizzed 6,620 respondents across six countries about their attitude towards spontaneity revealed that four out of five people (79%) agree that taking a spontaneous trip 'boosts their happiness' while nearly two thirds (61%) stated that it makes them 'more productive at work' and 'reduces stress' (68%).

The survey also revealed the most popular hotel room rituals. When asked to pick the top three things they would do when first entering a hotel room almost a quarter of all respondents (22%) stated that they would jump on the bed. In contrast, only 8% would take the more 'adult' stress release approach of checking out the mini-bar. Surprisingly, the ubiquitous selfie doesn't make much of an appearance in the bedroom with only 5% of respondents stating that this was their first activity of choice. The top answer, check out the bath/shower, received 48% of the vote even beating admiring the view which came a very close second (47%).

So when are people most likely to just get up and go? The top season for spur of the moment getaways is end of summer (perfect for Labor Day), with nearly half (48%) of the vote. More free time (39%), getting away from the bad weather where they live (23%) and school holidays (21%) were all cited as top reasons for trying to get away this Labor Day. The (hopefully!) good weather allows 64% of travelers to go on a road trip while 70% would head to the beach instead. City trips are also popular at this time of the year with 71% of respondents saying that this was their most likely type of last minute holiday.

Adventurous spirit

Demonstrating quite an adventurous spirit, over a third (37%) are happy to  book accommodation that they have never even heard of for last-minute trips, perhaps relying instead on reviews in order to inform their decision making process. Booking.com provides customers with over 100 million real, relevant and recent reviews so travelers can get a real feel for their accommodation of choice, all before leaving the comfort of their sofa.

With 72% of respondents stating that they would like to book more spontaneous holidays, what stops them from making those last minute holiday plans? Well, three out of four respondents (76%) say the hardest part of booking last minute trips is finding affordable and quality accommodation. In addition, half (48%) cite expense as a barrier to spur of the moment trips.

"We know there is a growing demand for instantaneous and on-the-move travel with almost half of worldwide reservations made within 48 hours being booked on a mobile device," Todd Dunlap, Managing Director, Americas at Booking.com said in regard to the survey results. "The Booking.com app allows travelers to easily book their last-minute hotel reservation from anywhere, anytime."

Users receive instant confirmation, paperless check-in and offline maps when they book through the Booking.com app (on both iOS via the Apple Store and Android in the Google Play Store).

About Booking.com

Booking.com is the world leader in booking hotel and other accommodations online. It guarantees the best prices for any type of property - from small independents to five-star luxury. Guests can access the Booking.com website anytime, anywhere from their desktops, mobile phones and tablet devices, and they don't pay booking fees - ever. The Booking.com website is available in 42 languages, offers over one million hotels and accommodations including more than 500,000 vacation rental properties and covers over 95,000 destinations in 224 countries and territories worldwide. It features over 100M reviews written by guests after their stay, and attracts online visitors from both leisure and business markets around the globe. With over 19 years of experience and a team of over 13,000 dedicated employees in 184 offices worldwide, Booking.com operates its own in-house customer service team, which is available 24/7 to assist guests in their native languages and ensure an exceptional customer experience.

Read more here.

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