DENVER--(BUSINESS WIRE)--When it comes to family vacations, home really is where the heart is. According to new research released today by luxury destination club Inspirato with American Express, families are among the heaviest users of vacation home rentals this year, representing 56 percent of all vacation home rental lodgers. Families are also more likely to value the benefits of vacation homes than other overall travelers.
The survey, conducted online by Harris Poll on behalf of Inspirato among over 2,000 adults in June, also provided insight into which benefits unique to vacation homes are most valued by traveling families.
According to the survey, 93 percent of all those traveling with families cited “having privacy” as important or very important. Next on the list was “having space to spread out” with 83 percent of families citing it as important or very important. The third most important benefit was the “ability to stay with children and/or family and/or friends under one roof,” with 82 percent citing it as important or very important.
Several other benefits largely unique to vacation home rentals were all also cited as being important or very important to more than half of traveling families, including providing guests a more authentic destination experience, having common areas to accommodate groups of people and having a private kitchen to prepare meals.
The findings are no surprise to industry veteran Brian Corbett, Founder and Chief Experience Officer at Inspirato, a private club that provides its members, many of them families, access to a Signature Collection of vacation homes in the U.S., the Caribbean, Mexico and Europe.
“Inspirato was founded specifically with the unique needs of families in mind,” said Corbett. “Once you’ve vacationed in a vacation home, where you can comfortably accommodate the whole family, prepare big family meals in your own kitchen, gather together in a great room at the end of the day, and give everyone the space and privacy they need to be comfortable, it’s hard to imagine traveling any other way.”
The survey also looked at the top perceived obstacles around choosing a vacation home rental. Not having the services and amenities of a resort or hotel was the top obstacle cited to choosing a vacation home rental for those vacationing with families (cited by 18 percent of traveling families). Problems arising in the home during their stay, such as the refrigerator breaking or air conditioning malfunctioning, was the second most cited obstacle (cited by 15 percent of traveling families). Inconsistent and unreliable quality was the third most citied obstacle (cited by 13 percent of traveling families).
“Anyone who has arrived at a vacation home rental only to discover it looks nothing like the pictures you saw online can relate to some of the challenges of renting online or directly from a homeowner,” said Corbett. “Fortunately, travelers now have options that have eliminated those obstacles. At Inspirato, we fully manage and control our hundreds of vacations homes, so we are able to ensure a consistently high level of quality that largely eliminates these concerns.”
Survey results also indicate that an uptick in vacation home rental lodging is likely in the future.
“Almost two in five, or 38 percent of Americans, and nearly half - 48 percent - of this year’s family travelers said that they would be more likely to stay in a vacation home rental over other lodging options in the future,” said Regina Corso, Vice President, The Harris Poll. “This shows the trend of families choosing vacation home rentals for their lodging option is likely to continue to be a factor in travel.”
The survey was conducted online between June 13 and 17, 2014, by Harris Poll on behalf of Inspirato among 2,035 U.S. adults, aged 18 and older, 1,274 of which have taken or will take a vacation this year. Figures for age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, region and household income were weighted where necessary to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the population. Propensity score weighting was used to adjust for respondents’ propensity to be online. For full methodology or other information about the survey, please contact Alana Watkins at Alana@vocapr.com or (303) 962.9163.
About Inspirato with American Express
Inspirato with American Express is a private club that provides its members exclusive access to a Signature Collection of luxury vacation homes, experiences and VIP offerings. At the heart of the Signature Collection are Inspirato Signature Residences, multimillion-dollar vacation homes fully managed and controlled by Inspirato for the exclusive use of its members. Inspirato members also enjoy Inspirato’s Signature Service every time they travel to one of the club’s Signature Residences, including the attention of a dedicated Personal Vacation Advisor to help them plan their trip, an onsite Destination Concierge to assist them during their stay, and daily housekeeping and pre-arrival grocery shopping. Launched in 2011 and now the largest destination club in the world with hundreds of luxury vacation choices in dozens of sought-after destinations, Inspirato is the luxury vacation solution for discerning travelers seeking a superior alternative to hotels, resorts and online villa rentals. In March 2013, Inspirato announced a partnership with American Express and the destination club's new name, "Inspirato with American Express." Learn more by visiting inspirato.com, calling (888) 546-5008, and following Inspirato on Facebook and Twitter.
Inspirato® is owned by Inspirato LLC. All products and services offered by Inspirato® are provided solely by Inspirato LLC or its agents and affiliates, and not by the American Express Company or its subsidiaries or affiliates.
