BELLEVUE, WA—With wellness tourism on the rise, Expedia Group has released insights on travel trends in four national parks: Moab, Yellowstone, Yosemite and Zion National Park.
Expedia Group’s data revealed:
- Aside from Zion, where stays are evenly spread throughout the year, the majority of room nights spent at each of the markets occur in the spring and summer seasons (March – September), indicating a spike in demand during periods with ideal weather for outdoor activities.
- Moab, Yosemite and Yellowstone have seen tremendous positive year-over-year growth in package demand (nearly 110%, 70% and 45% year-over-year growth, respectively).
- Packages that include lodging, air and car have a strong share of demand in each of the markets (nearly 60% share in Moab and Yellowstone, 50% share in Zion and 40% share in Yosemite).
- Overall growth in demand to each of the markets continues to be strong (nearly 780% year-over-year growth in Moab, 660% year-over-year growth in Yellowstone, 245% year-over-year growth in Zion and 280% year-over-year growth in Yosemite), with international travelers driving nearly 80% of overall demand.
With personal spending consistently growing month by month, consumers in general are not only looking to purchase tangible items, but also invest in memorable experiences. Furthermore, according to research conducted by Expedia Group Media Solutions, younger travelers prioritize activities and experiences above all, indicating a healthy appetite for adventure.
The company also shared tips on how to capture travelers:
- Don’t be late: On average, packages have a booking window of one month. In addition to longer booking windows, package promotions can see higher demand from international travelers and larger parties. Offer your inventory as far in advance as possible to lock in higher rates and longer lengths of stay.
- Be extra: Travelers will want to get the most of their time at the parks, so offering early check-in, late checkout or complimentary breakfast can go a long way.
- Put it in park: With travelers increasingly booking car rentals as part of their packages, offering discounted or free parking can help your property stand out among other hotels in the market.
- Go green: It’s no secret that eco-travel is not just a fleeting trend, but has become an entire movement as sustainability becomes more top of mind for consumers. Offering sustainable features (i.e. water-saving fixtures, linen and towel reuse, green cleaning products, etc.) has been proven to draw in high participation rates among guests, as well increase guest satisfaction.
