Cheap Hotels - Research shows Americans Stuck on Their Vacations

Cheap Hotels. You've seen the bad news in Lodging Facts that 60-70% of the American Vacation budget is spent on hotels! (I just have statistics for the U.S. - no slight intended to my Canadian and global readers! I doubt if global statistics are much different.)

What does that buy you? Unfortunately, according to the 2007 National Leisure Travel Monitor, 93.5% of Americans are ending up staying in far less than luxury accommodations for that $152 per night! The annual study showed that 43% stay in chain hotels/motels, 7.5% stay in independent hotels/motels, 9.5% stay in economy hotels/motels, 34% stay in moderate hotels/motels, and only 6.5% stay in luxury hotels.

Well I happen to think that's just not right! It's your vacation! The study showed that 31% of leisure travelers are adults traveling with children. That means they are all trying to cram into a low-end hotel box in order to go on vacation! Couples make up 61% and adults traveling alone accounted for 28% -- they may not be quite so cramped, but the "low-end" part isn't appealing no matter who you are.

You know how I know? Here's the "first class" test. Economy cars are rented the most, by far, but occasionally someone returns "your" car late, and the company has to give you a free upgrade to a luxury car in order to fulfill your reservation. Are you going to take the luxury car? Of course you are! Who wouldn't?

That's how you divide the "have to" do economy from choosing to. No one would choose an economy hotel box if they could have a first class home-away-from-home for the same or less money, right? That's my whole point! We all deserve better! Review Timeshare vs Hotel to see how much less over time!

Where we're all going on vacation is interesting:

• 56%.................visiting friends and family
• 27%.................beach/lake vacations
• 21%.................general sightseeing vacations
• 15%.................urban/city vacations
• 12%.................cruise vacations
• 12%.................camping/hiking vacations
• 12%.................theme park vacations
• 9%.................gambling vacation
• 2%.................golf vacation

Now someone on the list is checking more than one category, because it all adds up to more than 100% (?), but every one of these vacations still deserve first class accommodations rather than cheap hotels. Okay, well a tent for camping, but the rest definitely -- first class!

Because Americans only have 13 days vacation on average, compared to 26 days in Canada and 42 in Italy, weekend getaways (52%) are about all Americans can manage. But they are still going, with 95% of all travelers in America taking at least one vacation during the last 12 months. The average traveler actually took four these short getaways.

The desperate vacation situation in America of only having 13 days and feeling job insecurity if you even use those days has to change, of course. See Take Back Your Time to see how you can get involved.

I say the cheap hotel situation has got to change, too! Review Why Timeshare to see why I recommend this first class dirt cheap alternative!

Life is way too short, and vacations too few and far between to spend them in a cheap hotel box!

You and the people you love deserve better!