This festive season is sure to be a big one, as new data from Motel 6 reveals that Americans who are celebrating a winter holiday are planning to enjoy an average of 10 or more gatherings this year.
In its sixth annual holiday travel survey, Motel 6 heard from more than 2,000 respondents who celebrate a winter holiday and found that this flurry of festivities is expected to lead to significant travel. Eighty-four percent of respondents plan to travel to at least one gathering, and of those, more than half (52%) expect to take more trips than last year.
This holiday season, 85% say the joy of spending time with friends and family outweighs the challenges of travel. When it comes to lodging, two-thirds (65%) of respondents traveling plan to stay at a hotel, an increase of nearly 20% since last year. And they’re bringing furry family members with them. Three out of five (60%) respondents note that pets will be joining their holiday journeys, up from 22% in 2022.
Gathering once just isn’t enough—respondents plan to celebrate some holidays multiple times, bringing the average number of holiday gatherings per person to more than 10.
The winter season continues to be a time to come together with loved ones, with two-thirds (66%) of respondents noting a preference for a traditional holiday celebration with family, while only 20% opt to take a solo trip. Still, Americans agree that the excitement of family gatherings can cause social batteries to run down quickly. More than half (53%) of respondents look forward to alone time four hours into a holiday, while nearly one in five (19%) say it takes just one to two hours for them to start looking forward to alone time.
“The final months of the year are filled with love, excitement and festivities with friends and family,” said Julie Arrowsmith, president/CEO, G6 Hospitality, parent company of Motel 6 and Studio 6.
It’s no surprise that nearly all (82%) of those celebrating winter holidays say the economic climate is impacting their plans this year. More than half are hoping to receive experience-based gifts (56%) this year, such as travel, and will be opting for affordable lodging (55%) for their journeys.
