Summer’s-End Spending

Consumers are projected to spend more than ever on travel this Labor Day weekend.

U.S. travelers are expected to spend up to $2.92 billion on hotels and flights this Labor Day weekend, according to Adobe Digital Index’s 2016 Travel Report, exceeding the $2.74 billion consumers spent on Black Friday last year. Here are three top consumer behaviors to keep in mind to help capture the attention—and wallets—of these holiday-weekend vacationers.

They need a week to make up their minds. Travelers tend to book their vacation plans on Saturdays and Sundays. It also takes them, on average, five days to fully research their options before making a final decision, according to Tradedoubler. Time any last-minute Labor Day promotions to become available the Monday before the big weekend.

They’re hitting the road. Drive-to destinations have an edge: 21.8 percent of those planning to fly over Labor Day weekend will either travel by other means or delay or cancel their trip because of hours-long waits at airport security checkpoints, according to a recent survey of 2,500 travelers by the U.S. Travel Association. By marketing last-minute Labor Day promotions to travelers within a three-hour radius, resorts with open inventory can target these road warriors.

They’re traveling with their family. Labor Day weekend travelers will be headed out in groups, with families in particular wanting to take advantage of the holiday before the school year begins, according to AAA. Be ready to host family-friendly activities onsite—and make sure to promote these activities before and during your guests’ stay.

Photo credit: iStockphoto