Are Staycations and H1N1 Scare Keeping People Home?

Posted: 23 Jul 2009 | 9:25 am

Back of the recent news that publisher Merriam-Webster have added the term "staycation' to its newest dictionary, and recent quotes from an expert associated with the United States Centers for Disease Control (CDC) urging Thai's to avoid crowed places back of the A (H1N1) virus scare it remains to be seen if people want to forego travel.

Recent polls in the United States where the impact of the global downturn have hit the hardest show that aside from what American's consider to be their God given right to carry firearms, is that they still consider travel to be of primary importance. Though further research shows that travel patterns may be changing in terms of destination preferences, trading down in accommodation choices, more reliance on shopping online for the best travel deals and a growth in domestic travel.

Here in Asia over the past 12 months similar patterns are emerging with domestic and short haul travel on the rise, increased internet bookings and shorter lead time for hotel bookings. Travel as in no other time in history has become an essential part of people's lives and through good times, and bad times it's become an integral part of the framework of peoples lives. Despite buzzwords and what seems to be a constant barrage of Armageddon type threats spanning the globe, travel continues to be a defining experience.

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