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Here Comes Spring Break '10

Sbreak10 After two relatively weak Spring Break travel seasons, 2010 looks to be a renaissance year for the near rite of passage for college students around the country. Based on the findings from the latest Insights Immersion, we attribute the marked shift in behavior to a series of factors. For starters, there is a palpable sense of pent up demand, especially among seasoned student travelers that didn't take a trip last spring or perhaps even during their most recent summer break. Also, unlike years past, we saw a significant percentage of student travelers finalize their plans and associated logistics mid way through the fall semester. Related to the advanced planning, we also observed more students traveling in larger groups, typically five or more, which opened them up to group travel discounts in addition to early booking discounts. Lastly, an increasing number of student travelers said their parents were paying for at least some of their if not all of it. Either things are improving in households, or once again parents are sacrificing other purchases for their children's benefit and enjoyment. For many students, especially the first time travelers, Spring Break 2010 will be the notable event or activity of the year.

When all is said and done, 46% of students said they will be traveling during Spring Break, compared to 39% of students last year. Among the 46% of students who will be traveling, more than four in ten (42%) said this was their first Spring Break trip as a college student. The demographic makeup of travelers skews slightly female and planned travel is highest among students attending a school in the northeast and far south.

Planned spending, inclusive of airfare, transportation, lodging, clothing and entertainment came in at $619, up from $572 last year. Spring Breakers will spend an average of four days and three nights at their vacation destinations. Comparatively different from last year, we've seen a resurgence in the number of students who will travel to international destinations, led mainly by spots in Mexico and to a lesser extent, various Caribbean islands. Thirty-six percent of students will travel internationally during Spring Break, up considerably from just 21% of travelers last year.

Among the 64% of students traveling domestically, the top vacation destinations include Panama City Beach, Orlando, South Padre Island, Fort Lauderdale, Miami and relative newcomer Las Vegas. The top international spots are dominated by Mexican resort towns led by Cancun and followed by Acapulco, Cabo San Lucas and Puerto Vallarta. Those students headed to international locales will spend about 32% more on travel and lodging compared to those students who will leave their passports at home.

About half of all student travelers, some 53% said their parents were paying for their entire trip, inclusive of spending money, while 77% said their parents were helping them out financially with at least some of their vacation-related costs. The financial responsibility aspect is perhaps the most impactful difference for students traveling this season. Last year, only about one in three students (31%) said their parents were paying for their Spring Break trip in full, while 57% said they received some financial support from their folks.

Given the return of a robust Spring Break travel season, media companies and brand marketers can once again consider targeted location-based events and other types of marketing programs as viable elements within their overall youth marketing and media mix.

March 04, 2010 in Campus Life, Travel | Permalink | Comments (3)

Maxim's Latest Brand Extension: A Vegas Hotel

Maximmag For the past couple of years Maxim has been aggressive in licensing its brand for extensions ranging from furniture to hair coloring products, but the number two magazine among college men has ambitious plans to tackle sin city in a new deal with a real estate developer. The deal, expected to be announced today, calls for the construction of a new $1.2 billion hotel and casino on the Vegas strip. This could prove to be a incredibly tough task since both the Hard Rock and Palms have already carved out a niche as catering almost exclusively to the younger set of Vegas visitors. In fact, I've seen a fairly sizable increase in the number of college students, mostly upperclassmen 21+ who are bypassing traditional Spring Break destinations like Daytona and Fort Lauderdale for the ultimate Spring Break trip to Las Vegas. The Maxim Hotel and Casino calls for 2,300 rooms and a 60,000 square foot casino and is expected to open in 2010.

June 05, 2006 in Travel | Permalink | Comments (2)

Spring Break in Vegas, Thank You National Lampoon

Vegas Christopher Beam, a senior at Columbia University, wrote a very cool piece for The Washington Post about his 4 day Spring Break escapade in Las Vegas. The trip to Vegas for Spring Break was set up by National Lampoon Tours, the entertainment company and university network and relative newcomer to the tour booking space. For only $350, Christopher and his pals stayed at the Plaza Hotel and had access to a shuttle that took them to the Vegas strip as well as nightclubs. National Lampoon Tours also included transportation to and from the airport which is always a plus. Given the increased popularity of Las Vegas as a must-visit destination for college students, this seems like a pretty strategic move for an entertainment company like National Lampoon to make. National Lampoon Tours said over 230 students participated in this year's Vegas program and I have to imagine, with a little marketing, a lot more would sign up to go next year. Four days in Vegas for $350 is a pretty strong value proposition and something a lot of the poker-obsessed college market would bite on.

April 10, 2006 in Travel | Permalink | Comments (1)

Commentary: Spring Break

I want to try and separate myth from reality when it comes to Spring Break. Fact: Spring Break happens once a year. Myth: All six million four-year, full-time undergraduate college students travel during Spring Break. Fact: A respectable percentage of college students, some 39% plan to take a trip during Spring Break. The 39% that plan to travel during Spring Break will be at a variety of U.S. and even international vacation spots. Four percent will be in Daytona Beach, 3% will be in Panama City Beach and 3% will be in South Padre Island, Texas. Of course, all students don't go on Spring Break at the same time, so this Spring Break season really lasts about three weeks beginning now and ending in late March. The college students that do plan to travel to one destinations listed above do represent a targeted marketing opportunity, assuming it is executed correctly. The New York Times is running a story today about some marketers who will be conducting activities at Spring Break this month. Similar to last year, it seems Axe, the body spray owned by consumer packaged goods giant Unilever has put together the best integrated plan. Axe's presence will be heavy in many hotels with branding on room card keys, posters in the lobbies and ads in the actual hotel rooms themselves. The fact that the samples of the product will be available in the bathrooms doesn't hurt either to stimulate trial. I also like what Disney is doing to promote a new movie called "Stick It" about gymnastics. The entertainment company is setting up real gymnastics equipment, branded of course, in select locations. As long as the vacationers haven't started drinking, this seems pretty cool and will certainly have the students talking.

The fact is marketers wishing to engage the college market at Spring Break must first realize who they are targeting. The audience that attends Spring Break in Daytona Beach is not the same audience that is in South Padre Island. Secondly, given all of the clutter out there, marketers must attempt to connect and engage in non-traditional ways, what Disney is doing might sound kind of corny, but it will definitely get the audience talking. I can just imagine the guy trying to impress a co-ed he just met from another school by trying to hit a perfect flip off the movie-branded vault. Hey, may be he'll even ask her to see the movie with him.

March 09, 2006 in Travel | Permalink | Comments (0)

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