Tourism Trend

To : John Doe , CEO , TravelPlanners .com

From : Jane Smith , Account Executive , TravelPlanners .com

Date : CREATEDATE \ "MMMM d , yyyy " \ MERGEFORMAT May 6 , 2008

Re : Trends in U .S . Tourism : Cruises

review the following report regarding new trends in tourism as applicable to TravelPlanner .com and its online development and marketing strategies

OVERVIEW OF TREND TOWARD CRUISES

Time-poverty and the inability to get away from work are the main reasons

Americans are taking less vacation time . However statistics show that the Americans

still traveling are leaning toward trips

that are easy to plan , convenient and family-

centered . As of late , the cruise-style vacation is proving more appealing to Americans

due to affordability , a way to vacation with family and avoid air travel

After 9 /11 a trend toward sea travel showed an increase , but as of late the trend is again popularized by a sagging U .S . economy , gas prices making travelers less open to road trips , and limited time off for Americans working more . Additionally , cruises offer easy planning and all-inclusive pricing and packaging that is appealing to customers

CREATE CRUISE TRAVEL RESOURCES FOR FAMILIES

Create online booking tools for cruise ship vacations enhance Internet services

TravelPlanner .com will partner with cruise ship lines

Create web site with cruise ship booking tools

Expand local travel mechanisms for families , i .e , car services to cruise ship sites

Offer assistance for event planning /destinations /room selection More and more , travelers are looking to plan and book their own trips online to save time and money . By partnering with cruise lines to streamline the booking process and help them increase their ship capacity , TravelPlanner .com will secure a larger share of the American tourism market and consumer travel and cruise ship booking

SHIFT IN CHANGE : CONSUMER HABITS HAVE CHANGED DUE TO ECONOMY AND THE NEEDS OF TRAVELERS

Due to the poor economy , Americans have to work more and have limited time to take vacations but , more than ever , they need to take vacations for their physical and mental well-being . Recent studies by the Travel Industry Association show that a yearly vacation can cut an individual 's risk of heart attack by 50 percent . In addition , the survey reported leisurely activity is a positive way to relieve stress TravelPlanner .com should stress the importance of taking vacations in its marketing information and when targeting potential travelers or those visiting its website

In the past , Americans had a more leisurely approach to vacation planning and took more time off from work and consulted individual travel agents . But with limited vacation hours and keeping within tight budget constraints , cost-effective and easy travel planning has never been more important . And today , with the advancements in web-based technology and the at-home ease of using the Internet , a shift in vacation and travel planning is evident . Plus , surfing the Internet can provide more options and savings to the consumer

E-commerce figures a large part in the travel market for booking and more cost-effective options for travelers . Although...