So Cal's Summer Vacation Plans

If there is any bright spot in the current economic downturn, it's the fact that many Southern California families are still going to take vacation this summer. AAA says that in fact vacation plans by Auto Club Members are off significantly compared to 2007 & 2008. http://news.aaa-calif.com/pr/aaa/summer-travel-survey-0609.aspx?ncid=6058

And sure there is belt tightening, but of the surveyed, only about 5% more than those surveyed in 2008 said they were going to spend less than last year while on vacation. But when you take into consideration that 40% of those surveyed are going to stay right here in California, there may be a bright spot in the numbers for Big Bear Lake.

Also in the survey, are some interesting hot buttons for vacation planners, something we have been trying to improve on when marketing our own marketplace here in Big Bear Lake.

"When rating highly important reasons for taking their first trip of this summer:

88 percent said the vacation destination was a highly important factor
73 percent cited cost
65 percent said entertainment/recreation
63 percent rated the ease of reaching the destination as highly important
57 percent cited proximity to family/friends
40 percent rated a friend’s/relative’s recommendation as highly important
40 percent cited a special event"

Big Bear Lake rates naturally high in several of these key areas or part of these areas. It would serve Retail Merchants, Lodges and Restaurants well to improve in weaker areas and then heavily promote our marketplace as the ideal vacation and leisure travel destination for Southern California on a permanent basis, all round.

Merchants, Restaurants and Lodges should be putting all their marketing efforts into letting leisure travel demographic know about just how Big Bear Lake fits into what they are looking for in a vacation or get-a-way.