There’s a hidden
explorer inside most Americans, but few have satisfied their urge to
travel to far-flung places, research by Expedia.com(R), the world’s
leading online travel service, and a separate study conducted by Harris
Interactive(R) revealed today.
More than 85,000 people have found their Travel Quotient (TQ) through a
unique quiz devised by Expedia(R) to measure the travel knowledge and
personality of Americans. “Intrepid Explorer” won out as the top travel
persona, even though Expedia’s survey by Harris Interactive found that a
quarter (25 percent) of American adults have never left the U.S., and just
over one-third (36 percent) have visited more than two countries. The
survey also found that only 4 in 10 (42 percent) Americans have ever held
a U.S. passport.

An overwhelming 56 percent of TQ respondents fell into the Intrepid
Explorer category, confirming the allure of international travel and
conveying that experiencing new cultures is an important aspect of
American life. However, when it comes to true travel knowledge, Americans
scored highest on questions related to travel within the lower 48—such
as the location of major theme parks or names of Las Vegas hotels. On the
other hand, matching international currencies to countries stymied more
than two-thirds of quiz-takers.

“The popularity and findings of our TQ survey prove that we all dream of
vacations we would take if we had more time off and fewer obligations,”
said Stuart MacDonald, senior vice president of marketing and packages at
Expedia.com. “At Expedia, our goal is to make those dreams a reality by
helping travelers find the best choices and value no matter what type of
trip they’re seeking. Now all Americans need to do is get those passports
ready.”

The second most common travel profile found in the TQ survey was that of
an Escape Artist (21 percent)—describing those who simply need a few
extra hours to turn any average weekend into a much-needed break. Closely
following were Beachcombers (19 percent), the travelers who prefer to
maximize sun time and R&R on vacation. The Travel Quotient quiz, which was
created for the launch of MSN’s new Travel Central hub in April, is now
available at http://www.expedia.com/tq.

Expedia’s research also revealed the following:

—66 percent of those polled knew where to find Trafalgar Square, though
fewer than 24 percent have ever visited London.

—Men tend to be more widely traveled than women—for those who have
been outside the US, men have visited an average of 4.4 countries compared
to 2.9 for women.

—Americans from the Northeast lead the country in overseas travel,
having visited a mean of 4.5 countries compared to 2.2 countries visited
by those in the Midwest.

—Not surprisingly, Canada (66 percent) and Mexico (58 percent) were the
top two international destinations visited by Americans, followed by
Continental Europe (34 percent), The Caribbean (32 percent) and The
British Isles (24 percent).

—99% of adult Americans who participated in the survey have traveled
outside their home state.

—61 percent have visited more than 10 states and nearly 1 in 10 (9
percent) have visited more than 40 states.

Wherever travelers want to explore this summer—the city, the beach,
theme parks, or Europe—Expedia can help Intrepid Explorers and
Beachcombers alike create the perfect summer trip and save on already low
hotel rates. Following is a sample of Expedia’s deals in 50 hot summer
destinations for travel now through Sept. 6, 2004:

Intrepid Explorer

—Explore the sites and sounds of beautiful Cannes for four nights from
$893 per person, including airfare.

—Kick off an adventure in Asia by staying at Singapore’s Le Meridien
from $85 a night.

—Experience la vida loca in Rio de Janeiro for six nights, including
airfare, from $925 per person.

Escape Artist

—Win big in Las Vegas with three nights’ hotel and airfare from $256 per
person.

—Climb every mountain—book a five-night stay in Whistler’s
Mountainside Lodge plus airfare from Seattle to Vancouver from $393 per
person.

—Head to New Orleans from $310 per person for three nights’ hotel and
airfare.

Beachcomber

—Travel from Los Angeles to Los Cabos, Mexico from $546 per person
including a four-night stay and airfare.

—Soak in the tropics with six nights’ hotel and airfare to the Bahamas
from $683 per person.

—Leave the bustling streets of New York behind and enjoy airfare and a
four-night stay in Daytona Beach from $391 per person.

Family Fun Seeker

—Journey to Orlando from $50 per night with easy access to Walt Disney
World, Sea World and Universal Studios.

—Hop on a plane to Disneyland and stay three nights from $364 per person.

—Venture to SeaWorld and Six Flags Fiesta Texas in San Antonio from $443
per person for three nights’ hotel and airfare.
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