CenStates members share some information they learned at the June conference: The latest Portrait of American Travelers (POAT) study by MMGY Global found that there are really two different segments in the millennial generation. This is due to that generation aging and now the older segment once considered millennials are starting to transition into a different stage in their lives. The older millennials are now 38 years old. For instance, older millennials are seeking relaxation on their vacation while the younger segment travels more for thrill-seeking. The older millennials and young millennials also vary greatly in average spend with the older segment spending $4,558 per trip and younger segments spending $3,648 per trip. They also vary greatly in their use of shared accommodations. 43% of the younger segment have stayed in shared accommodation while only 31% of the older segment has. This seems to indicate a widening gap in travel trends with the millennial … [Read more...] about Takeaways from TTRA International Conference
State Tourism Budget Growth Slows Ahead of Governors’ Races in Midterms
With gubernatorial races in 36 states and three territories this fall, state tourism boards “increasingly face pressure to justify higher spending, or in some cases even their existence,” reports Skift. State general fund spending for enacted FY 2018 budgets is up only 2.3 percent from FY 2017 — the slowest growth rate since fiscal 2010—and that has a direct effect on state tourism budgets. READ ARTICLE … [Read more...] about State Tourism Budget Growth Slows Ahead of Governors’ Races in Midterms
Takeaways from TTRA International Conference
CenStates members share some information they learned at the June conference: We have long known that Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the wave of the future but the future is now. The session about chatbots for websites was intriguing. Basically, there is a bot that can answer the Q & A questions that one normally posts on a website but this is like having an automated chat rep. VERY cool! Dee Ann McKinney Research Director, Missouri Division of Tourism It is critical to identify the metrics that are linked to increased visitation and spending and focus on those. It is also critical to identify your goals and make sure that the metrics you are tracking lead to those goals. For example, if your goal is to use your website to hand off people to your partners, you don't care about time on the website - in fact, you want it to be short. But if you are trying to increase the length of time in the destination, you want people to stay on your site and find more things to do. … [Read more...] about Takeaways from TTRA International Conference
CenStates Wins Chapter Achievement Award!
The CenStates chapter of the Travel and Tourism Research Association (TTRA) was awarded the Chapter Achievement Award at the 2018 international conference in Miami, Florida on June 28. The chapter was cited for their exceptional work to remain relevant in a constantly changing world. They initiated a strategic plan which includes conducting original research specifically for the central states, education opportunities tailored to the needs of members and expanding chapter reach through board expansion and conference locations. Congratulations! … [Read more...] about CenStates Wins Chapter Achievement Award!
ARC Finds Air Travel Strong for Summer 2018
Airlines Reporting Corp. reported today that travelers flying during the summer months can expect to pay slightly less than last year. This drop mirrors what ARC sees as a larger trend in average ticket prices, posted monthly on the company’s website. Travel sold to the top 10 destinations by U.S. travel agencies is up from 2017, showing continued strong demand for air tickets in the U.S. Like 2016 and 2017, ticket sales to Cancun continue to be the top seller this summer. Other summer hot spots are on the rise for U.S. air travelers this summer. Ten percent more travelers will fly to Punta Cana as compared to the same period last year while Honolulu will see a 14 percent increase. Air travel to Orlando and Seattle increased eight percent year over year. New York and Los Angeles will also see a four percent increase in air travel, while air travel to Las Vegas is down eight percent although it still ranks in the top ten. READ ARTICLE … [Read more...] about ARC Finds Air Travel Strong for Summer 2018
