Americans Pick Their Favorite Romantic Destinations; National Geographic Traveler and Yahoo! Travel Survey Reveals Romantic Travel is on the Rise.

Lifestyle Editors/Travel Writers

SUNNYVALE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 5, 2004

Americans are planning more romantic getaways this year, according to a recent survey conducted by National Geographic Traveler magazine and Yahoo! Travel (http://travel.yahoo.com). More than 80 percent of people surveyed plan to take at least one romantic trip this year, compared to only 50 percent who went on a romantic trip last year. Where do Americans look for love? Romance on the beach takes top honors, with nearly half of Americans citing beach resorts as the most romantic travel spot (41%), followed by cruises (16%) and mountain resorts (15%).

Travelers Pick "Most Romantic" Destinations

Americans had very clear ideas about which cities were "hotbeds" for romance:

                Most Romantic Domestic Locations

                1. Islands of Hawaii
                2. New York City
                3. San Francisco
                4. Miami
                5. Las Vegas
                6. New Orleans
                7. Aspen
                8. Lake Tahoe
                9. Martha's Vineyard
                10. Napa Valley



                Most Romantic International Destinations

                1. Paris
                2. Rome
                3. Venice
                4. Bahamas
                5. Florence
                6. Sydney
                7. London
                8. Tahiti
                9. French Riviera
                10. Fiji

Atmosphere is Everything

Survey respondents cited a hot tub as the most important hotel amenity for a romantic nest with 65 percent of the votes, followed by great dining (61%), and a trip to a spa (48%).

What do couples do while on a romantic getaway? While 40 percent of couples admitted to "staying in the room all day," more than half (60%) say their most frequent activity is fine dining, followed next by swimming (52%) and shopping (51%).

Mars vs. Venus 

According to the survey results, while both sexes found beach resorts to be the most romantic getaway, men indicated mountain resorts more enticing while women found bed & breakfasts more to their liking. The results also indicated that men are more likely to bring a gift for their "special someone" while on a romantic getaway (54%), while only 45 percent of women do. Women instead tend to lean towards creating a romantic atmosphere, "spicing it up" with lingerie (67%) and candles (45%).

Romance Through the Years

The survey also revealed a few additional interesting trends based on how long couples have been together.

A key finding was that the longer a couple has been married, the less likely they are to take romantic vacations. While 70 percent of newlyweds went on a romantic getaway in the last 12 months, only 40 percent of couples married 3-9 years took some time out for the heart. However, newlyweds may just be losing their spark after that first year, as nearly 15 percent do not plan to take a romantic trip in the next year.

Survey results also showed that the longer couples are married, the less likely they are to bring candles, lingerie, perfume/cologne or a gift for their partner on a romantic getaway.

"It's clear that romance and travel go hand-in-hand," said Keith Bellows, Editor-in-Chief, National Geographic Traveler. "These survey results give Americans some great ideas on where to go to find romance and how to put more heart in their escapes."

"With the largest audience of travelers on the Web, Yahoo! is in a unique position to stay in front of consumer and travel trends,"(1) said Yen Lee, general manager of Yahoo! Travel. "We've posted the top romantic destinations survey results online to give travelers timely, relevant information, that will help them find and book that perfect romantic getaway."

The survey results appear in the March 2004 issue of National Geographic Traveler, hitting newsstands this month, and at Yahoo! Travel (http://travel.yahoo.com/romantic), where consumers can also research, plan and book their own romantic getaways.

National Geographic Traveler and Yahoo! Travel surveyed more than 2,880 people on the Yahoo! network during November, 2003. As part of the existing partnership, Yahoo! Travel features National Geographic Traveler content on its site and will be conducting additional joint surveys throughout the year.

About National Geographic Traveler

National Geographic Traveler is the world's most widely read travel magazine. Published eight times a year, Traveler is available by subscription (800-NGS-LINE) and on newsstands in the United States ($4.95) and Canada ($6.95). Traveler's Web site is at www.nationalgeographic.com/traveler.

About Yahoo! Travel

Yahoo! Travel (http://travel.yahoo.com) is the most comprehensive online travel destination, offering consumers a single place to plan, research and book all their trips. Featuring special offers from top travel suppliers, including airlines, cars, hotels, vacations, and cruises, the site offers one-stop travel shopping with quick search options, personalized "Best Fare" deals and easy access to personal reservations and flight status. Easy to navigate, search, and customize, Yahoo! Travel also offers Travel Spotlights, Last-Minute Vacations, city guides, hotel guides, currency converters and interactive maps. As part of the Yahoo! network, it provides links to weather, shopping and news, and services such as Yahoo! Wallet for quick and secure transactions.

Yahoo! and the Yahoo! logo are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Yahoo! Inc.

All other names are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective owners.

(1) Mediamark Research, Spring 2003