A new survey by Room Key finds that Americans aspire to engage in active pursuits when thinking about their summer vacations, but when it comes down to it, the intuitive desire to focus on leisure wins out.
According to the study, which surveyed 1,023 nationally representative Americans aged 18 and over in June, nearly one in two individuals (46 percent) expressed that a fitness-related activity would dictate their travel plans, including pursuits such as learning a new sport, improving at a sport or fulfilling an extreme goal, such as skydiving or mountain climbing.
Additionally, 57 percent of Americans would specifically choose one hotel over another based on fitness-related amenities (other than a pool) or a hotel’s location relative to outdoor activities. The availability of a fitness center ranked at the top of the list, with 23 percent saying this would drive their hotel selection, followed closely by proximity to outdoor activities such as hiking or golf, which 15 percent reported would sway their decision. The availability of fitness equipment provided by a hotel, such as a yoga mat or running shoes, in addition to the availability of on-site fitness classes, were also sought-after amenities.
Yet despite travelers’ fitness-minded aspirations, when asked how they would actually spend most of their summer vacation, the desire to simply relax and take in a destination reigned supreme. A whopping 74 percent of Americans said they would forgo fitness-oriented activities for pursuits that are more leisurely, like sightseeing (37 percent), lounging on the beach or by the pool (28 percent) or attending yoga classes or visiting the spa (8 percent). Though more active engagements such as running, biking or hiking did make the list, only 5 percent said they would plan to spend their time in this way, and fewer, just 4 percent, said golf, tennis or boating would be their vacation activities of choice.
“Though travelers may have active ambitions for their summer vacations, the desire to kick back and relax can take over, so selecting a hotel that offers both active and leisurely pursuits helps ensure an enjoyable trip, whatever mood may strike,” said Laura Pitlik, Senior Director of Brand Marketing & Communications for Room Key. “Researching a property – evaluating amenities and location – to ensure the hotel meets your expectations can be the difference between a vacation you remember fondly for years to come and one you wish had been better.”
Whether opting for active or leisurely vacation pursuits, one thing is clear: choosing to book a hotel through Room Key is an easy way to make a difference – and make the most of summer travel. Booking through Roomkey.com provides a unique opportunity for travelers to turn a basic task – booking a hotel – into a powerful fundraising tool. Room Key’s Stay the Night, Join the Fight ? campaign aims to raise a minimum of $3 million to support Stand Up To Cancer’s (SU2C) innovative cancer research. For every hotel stay booked through Roomkey.com, Room Key will donate $1 to SU2C, and in fact, contributions to date, through both direct donations and hotel stays booked, are approaching $375,000. The more stays booked through Room Key, the more funds will be raised – there are no limits – and consumers can view the latest results of the campaign’s fundraising efforts at www.Roomkey.com/StaytheNight.
In addition, Room Key has launched a summer photo promotion, asking travelers: “Why Do You #StaytheNight?” Be it for a long-awaited second honeymoon or to escape the office for a few days, travelers are invited to share the inspiration for their much-needed summer hotel stays – in pictures. By submitting a photo now through July 7th, travelers will have a chance to win a $100 hotel gift card; 14 will be given away in addition to a $500 grand prize gift card. Consumers can enter a photo by uploading it to Room Key’s Facebook page (Facebook.com/Roomkey) or by using #StaytheNight when posting a picture to Twitter or Instagram. For more information and complete rules, visit www.Facebook.com/Roomkey.
Room Key was founded in 2012 by Choice Hotels International (NYSE: CHH), Hilton Worldwide, Hyatt Hotels Corporation (NYSE: H), InterContinental Hotels Group (NYSE: IHG), Marriott International, Inc. (NYSE: MAR) and Wyndham Hotel Group, part of the Wyndham Worldwide Corporation (NYSE: WYN), or their respective affiliates.
The personalized hotel search engine service enables travelers to quickly and easily compare value for their stay – based on specific attributes and preferences most important to individual guests – and book directly with more than 100 leading hotel brands in 159 countries around the world. With a continued focus on providing consumers the best, personalized value for their trip, Room Key also allows travelers to compare properties based on the pricing and benefits associated with their respective hotel frequent guest programs – something that cannot be done on any other online travel booking site.
