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Staycations Suck - LastMinuteTravel.com(R) Survey Shows Most Americans Would Rather Travel if They Could Afford It
 
Online Travel Web Site to Salvage Six Staycations by Replacing them with REAL Vacations

ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Fla., July 13 /PRNewswire/ -- Record-high gas prices prompted many Americans to rethink their vacation plans last summer and popularized the "staycation." America has been stuck with the phenomenon ever since; the ailing economy of 2009 has only added to the growing number of staycations for consumers on a strict budget.

There's only one problem: Americans overwhelmingly think staycations suck. According to a recent survey by LastMinuteTravel.com(R), seven out of 10 people (73 percent ) would prefer a vacation to a staycation, but end up planning staycations because they believe it costs less (72 percent). What many don't realize, however, is that there are no shortage of inexpensive travel options to consider, which may allow them to take a "real" vacation after all. In an effort to revive the classic getaway and get America thinking about travel again, LastMinuteTravel.com(R) is offering a "Staycations Suck" program this summer to replace six staycations with real vacations.

A recent survey from LastMinuteTravel.com(R) found that Americans overwhelmingly think staycations suck. Highlights from the survey include:

  • Nearly 3/4 of Americans would take a vacation over a staycation
  • The main reason Americans choose a staycation is cost savings (72%)
  • Of those who said they've had a bad staycation, the main reason cited was "It didn't feel like a real vacation (76%), followed by "It was boring" (56%) and "Too much contact with work" (20%).

These statistics show that few Americans would stay home to vacation if they had a chance to go somewhere exciting. Unfortunately, many families' finances are currently dictating otherwise. LastMinuteTravel.com(R) wants to change that for six lucky families with its "Staycations Suck" program, which invites Americans to share the story of their current or upcoming staycation and why it sucks. Beginning Monday, July 13, LastMinuteTravel.com(R) will give away one vacation a week, for six weeks to save people from their staycations. In order to be eligible for the program, consumers can become a fan on Facebook (www.facebook.com/LastMinuteTravel) or a follower on Twitter (@LMTTweets) and upload a video, wall post or tweet with the tag #staycationssuck to submit entries. More information and the complete rules can be found at staycationssuck.com .

While the program will help six lucky families, it's designed to deliver a message to anyone interested in a getaway this summer. "If you really want to travel, there are good bargains everywhere," said Uri Argov, President and CEO of Travel Holdings, Inc., parent company of LastMinuteTravel.com(R). "Our goal is to make travel more affordable by offering fantastic hotel rooms in cities around the world at surprisingly low rates. Lots of people assume they can't travel this summer, and therefore settle for a staycation. If you do a little research, however, you may find yourself on an affordable trip somewhere exciting after all."

About LastMinuteTravel.com(R)

LastMinuteTravel.com(R) is the premier online website to book last minute prices in advance. Offering vacation packages, airline tickets, hotel accommodations, car rentals, and cruises, the site provides the best rates in advance and up to the very last second. With tens of thousands of Last Minute Travel deals and inventory that offers a wide variety of destinations and pricing options, LastMinuteTravel.com(R) has become a go-to resource for today's time-starved traveler.

LastMinuteTravel.com(R) is a brand owned by Travel Holdings, Inc., a worldwide travel distribution company.

Facebook is a registered trademark of Facebook, Inc.

http://www.lastminutetravel.com/

    Media Contact:
    Niky Roberts
    314-552-6721
    nrroberts@webershandwick.com


SOURCE LastMinuteTravel.com