11thHourVacations.com
, the definitive source for last minute travel bargains, reports price as the most important factor for travelers when searching and booking leisure vacations.

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Price Reigns Supreme

Ninety-one percent of travelers cited price as the most important factor when purchasing a leisure vacation. Similarly, 11thHour receives the most interest, measured in clicks, to its ‘Budget’- themed vacations, surpassing other popular categories such as ‘romance’ and ‘family’ vacations.

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“The use of the Internet encourages customers to be extremely price sensitive. For this reason, it was not surprising to learn the overwhelming majority of shoppers compare multiple online sites before purchasing,” states Sue Bruns, Vice President of the Vacation Travel Division for 11thHourVacations.com. “In this environment of hyper-price sensitivity, not only do we strive to stay extremely competitive with price point, but also to offer special promotions and value adds.”

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In addition to price, the online survey of 11thHour customers revealed departure city and destination as second and third respectively in order of importance. When selecting destinations to visit, 41 percent of travelers know the general region they wish to go, such as the Caribbean.

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Vacationers looking for destination ideas may use tools such as 11thHour’s Ideal Vacation Finder, which makes recommendations based on the activities they enjoy. Alternately, travelers may search by vacation themes, such as golf, beach, and Top 11 for more destination options to spark their wanderlust.

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Leisure Travel Statistics

In general, the majority of vacationers hit the road or take to the skies more than three times per year.Ê Air travel continues to be a popular mode of transport for leisure vacations, with most people traveling by plane to get to their destinations two times per year. Most respondents preferred destination vacations as opposed to cruise vacations, with the average duration falling between four and nine days long.Ê
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