Celebrating 10 years of publishing its Top Ten Memorial Day Destinations report, Priceline.com announced the winners of 2012, with Las Vegas’s North Strip area atop, followed by Chicago’s tony North Michigan Avenue, which ranks second.
Based exclusively on booking requests, Priceline’s annual survey is considered to be one of the most accurate predictors of holiday travel trends. Already published for a decade, the Memorial Day list is one of the longest running prognosticators in the industry.
Compared to last year when Paris was the only destination making the list, the 2012 Top 50 destinations is ironically down in terms of international travel. Puzzling, not even the Olympic Games put London on the list. In fact, this year’s Top 50 is evidence that travelers prefer to opt for budget-friendly trips this summer.
“Average summer airfares are the highest we’ve seen in a decade. So it’s not surprising to see travelers opting for the more affordable destinations where average summer airfares are down versus last year. For example, the average Las Vegas summer airfare is down 3.3%, while Chicago is down 4.4%, New York’s JFK is down 3.4%, and San Francisco is down 3.4%”, said priceline.com’s in-house Travel Expert Brian Ek.
Among others, Ek wanted also to warn travelers regarding airline baggage fees, which are not always taken into account by tourists:
“Baggage fees this year can be as much as $100 each way. When comparing airlines, always factor in your baggage and calculate the total price for the fare plus bags. Know your airline’s baggage restrictions and pack as lightly as possible.”
With Memorial Day just around the corner, tourists have less than two weeks to plan their holiday. Priceline.com offers last-minute travelers the chance to still get a good deal on an airline ticket, hotel room, vacation package, rental car or even a cruise. The website provides visitors more options, for example, those who choose priceline.com’s Name Your Own Price selection have the chance to save up to 60% on hotels, 40% on airline tickets and 40% on rental cars, compared to the rates published on the website, while a visit to PriceBreakers – a last minute deals service updated daily, might result in a special travel bargain for travelers who choose Priceline.com.
The Priceline Top 50 Destinations List For Memorial Day 2012
#1 Las Vegas, North Strip Area
#2 Chicago, North Michigan Avenue/River North Area
#3 New York City, Midtown West
#4 San Diego, Downtown & Harbor Island
#5 Las Vegas, South Strip Vicinity
#6 San Francisco, Fisherman’s Wharf
#7 New Orleans, French Quarter
#8 Chicago, Millennium Park, Loop & Grand Park Area
#9 New York City, Times Square/Theater District
#10 New York City, Upper East Side
#11 Seattle, Downtown/Pike Place
#12 Boston, Waterfront/Convention Center
#13 Las Vegas, Fremont Street Vicinity
#14 St. Louis, Downtown
#15 Indianapolis, Downtown
#16 Atlantic City
#17 Austin, Downtown
#18 Niagara Falls, Ontario side
#19 Niagara Falls, New York side
#20 Los Angeles, Santa Monica/Marina Del Rey
#21 Portland, Downtown
#22 Charleston, Downtown
#23 Palm Springs
#24 New York City, Midtown East
#25 San Antonio, Riverwalk Area
#26 Miami, Downtown
#27 Providence, Downtown
#28 Seattle, Seattle Center/Space Needle
#29 Key West
#30 Paris, Champs Elysees/Arc De Triomphe
#31 Chicago, Greater Chicago Area
#32 Las Vegas, Near West Strip
#33 Boston, Copley Square/Back Bay
#34 Reno
#35 Montreal, Downtown/City Cente
#36 Savannah, Historic Savannah & Riverfront
#37 San Francisco, Union Square East
#38 Las Vegas, Boulder Strip
#39 Hilton Head Island
#40 Virginia Beach
#41 San Diego, Coastal Area
#42 Boston, Boston Common/Theater District
#43 Washington, DC, White House/Downtown
#44 Boston, Harbor Front/Aquarium
#45 Washington, DC, Convention Center/Capitol Hill Area
#46 New York City, Central Park South
#47 Monterey
#48 Orange County, Disneyland/Anaheim North
#49 Nashville, Downtown/Vanderbilt/Metrocenter
#50 Ottawa