Travel Channel Shares Positive New Consumer Insights at U.S. Travel Association Event

LOUISVILLE, Ky.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Travel Channel viewers are avid domestic travelers who play hard and spend big, according to research findings to be shared by Travel Channel during the U.S. Travel Association's Educational Seminar for Travel Organizations (ESTO), August 24-26 in Louisville, Kentucky.

Travel Channel, part of the portfolio of leading lifestyle media company Scripps Networks Interactive SNI, is the only television programmer to attend the show, with the objective of developing marketing relationships and solutions that help travel organizations and tourism destinations grow their businesses.

Consumer data indicates Travel Channel viewers travel more and spend more on vacations than the typical consumer. The research is fresh from the company's Under One Roof online consumer research panel comprising more than 20,000 lifestyle enthusiasts ages 18 to 64 who participate in surveys and community forums.

“This new data reinforces the fact that our audiences ‘do what they view,'” said Greg Regis, senior vice president of ad sales for Travel Channel. “The consumers who are moved by our amazing travel programs are the same consumers who make leisure travel an important part of their lives – and spend more money on this favorite pastime.”

In July, Scripps Networks surveyed more than 600 of its lifestyle enthusiasts in an online study of travel behaviors, planning and spending.

Among consumers ages 25-54, the research shows:

• On average, Travel Channel viewers take four domestic vacations each year (one more than the average non-viewer), and one in five viewers takes more than six domestic trips annually.
• The average Travel Channel viewer spends approximately $2,625 on a typical domestic vacation or leisure trip, 38 percent more than the average non-viewer. Viewers are also twice as likely to spend $5,000 or more on a domestic vacation.
• Among all vacationers, hotel, motel and bed-and-breakfast accommodations are the most common expenditure, followed by airline tickets. Compared to non-viewers, Travel Channel viewers are more likely to rent a vacation house or condo and to buy train or bus tickets.
• Sightseeing and heading to the beach are the most popular vacation activities. When vacationing, Travel Channel viewers have a greater inclination toward physical activities such as camping and hiking, water sports, golf and tennis, as well as many cultural and relaxation activities that come with higher price tags, such as fine dining and spas.
• Travel Channel is considered an authority on where to travel among both viewers and non-viewers alike (79 percent and 74 percent agree, respectively). Viewers cite Travel Channel content, including both the ads and programming, as a resource which has inspired them to visit a specific destination or attraction.

“ESTO is the only national forum where tourism destination professionals get critical tools, tips and information to help them better market and grow their destinations,” Regis added. “We're confident in helping them reach this vital group of buyers.”

About Scripps Networks Interactive

Scripps Networks Interactive SNI is one of the leading developers of engaging lifestyle content in the home, food and travel categories for television, the Internet and emerging platforms. The company's lifestyle media portfolio comprises popular television and Internet brands HGTV, DIY Network, Food Network, Cooking Channel, Travel Channel and Great American Country, which collectively reach more than 177 million consumers each month. Companion websites complement on-air programming with video and social media that inform and inspire. The company's global networks reach millions of consumers across North and South America, Asia, Europe, the Middle East and Africa. For more information, visit scrippsnetworksinteractive.com.