By Karen Axelton
Do you own a travel-related business or a company that could benefit from summer vacationers? It’s still not too late to encourage customers to plan trips. Some interesting statistics reported by MediaPost show who’s planning the family vacations—Mom—and how to win her business.
Most (43 percent) of Moms plan a vacation one to three months in advance, but 20 percent wait until three weeks or less to book a vacation.
In terms of spending, most Moms will spend less than (37 percent) or the same amount (44 percent) as last year. Typical budgets are from $500 to $3,000.
38 percent will spend between $1,000 and $3,000 and 32 percent will spend a mere $500 to $1,000.
What are some factors that tip Mom’s decision in your favor?
- Moms love family discounts like “kids eat free” or “free breakfasts” that let them save money and keep the kids happy.
- The ideal vacation length for Mom is about a week. Longer trips can be tiring. At minimum, long weekend trips also appeal; shorter trips are not long enough to be relaxing.
- Although Mom isn’t ready to break the budget, you might be able to change her mind if you offer something that meets her ideal vacation criteria at a lower price.
- Entertainment and other special activities targeted to kids (like an arcade, fun water sports activities or movie nights for kids) help swing Mom’s decision.
As a mom about to vacation, I can relate to all of these issues. Keep these deciding factors in mind when you market your business–whether a restaurant, hotel or tourist activity–to vacationers.
