Kendra Thornton Discusses 2017 Travel Trends

Nationally recognized travel expert Kendra Thornton knows the top travel trends for the new year. Taking the time to talk with The Hype magazine, Thornton shares the results of a new travel trends survey conducted by Choice Hotels. Speaking on the best U.S and international destinations for 2017, Thornton informs us on where to stay and how to save on your next trip. She also discusses some trendy travel splurges and reveals the benefits of a well-planned vacation. But what would you do for that one in a lifetime dream vacation? According to the new travel trends survey, travel experiences are among the most valued. People are also looking to spend more money in the new year on beverage and lodging experiences. So make sure you are getting the best out there and visit choicehotels.com.

You have a new travel trends survey that was just released, what can you tell me about it?

Kendra Thornton: Hello from Key Largo Florida! I’m here at the Dove Creek Lodge which is a part of Choice Hotels upscale Ascend Hotel collection. They conducted this survey to figure out what’s on the hearts and minds of Americans for their travel in the new year. One interesting finding was when presented with an all-expenses paid dream vacation, the majority of Americans would say they would take that trip even though they had to give up coffee forever. Another sweet finding said that they would travel for a first date which is very nice.

Did the survey offer a breakdown in demographics, such as college students?

The survey was not broken down specifically by college students but I can tell you one thing that was interesting was when looking ahead to the new year, people where asked if they planned to travel more. While they said they were to busy to travel more in the new year, they do plan to travel as much as they did this year. The big difference is that they plan to spend more on their travels. Budgets are up about 40 percent and that’s really because people want to maximize the travel time that they have. The majority of their budgets are going toward their lodging and also toward their food and beverage experiences.

What are your pics for top US and international destinations?

I always pick a beach because I love the sunshine and everyone is happier when they are on a beach. Of course, there are great ones here in Florida or along the west coast in California. Also urban destinations are popular! There are lots of arts and culture in the city. Whether its New York, Boston or Washington D.C. Off the beaten path destinations are also gaining a lot of traction. People like to visit places like Nashville, Tennessee, Santa Fe, New Mexico or Tucson, Arizona. Lots of options around the county. The mountains are still popular. We had the sentinel for the national parks last year and people are still very intrigued by visiting the national parks! Internationally, about one third of Americans that were surveyed said that they do plan to visit Europe in the new year and their top picks on where to go would be Paris, London and Rome.

Are there indicators that people act differently on vacation versus everyday life?

There’s always been research about the health and wellness benefits of travel and this survey certainly saw that as well. Americans say that when they travel that they feel better about themselves, feel more attractive, get better sleep, and are more willing to do things on vacation that maybe they didn’t have the time or the interest in doing back home. There is a lot more interesting survey findings and more than 6,000 properties that you can peruse on choicehotels.com. That is the best website to go to get more information.

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Tags: Choice Hotels, DCypher Studios, Hotels

About the Author

David Morales is the Executive Editor of The Hype magazine. A graduate of Eastern Michigan University, David has a background as an artist manager, writer, blogger, drummer, and in the human services industry. He is passionate about helping others, learning and has a deep empathy for the creative process. You can follow his social media @dcypherstudios