Nearly Half of Adults Staying With Relatives During the Holidays Would Prefer to Stay in a Hotel for at Least Part of Their Stay
	Expedia (NASDAQ:EXPE) recently commissioned a holiday travel survey, conducted by Harris Interactive(R), that revealed that some family members may consider abandoning the air mattress in favor of hotel comfort this holiday season.
The survey revealed key findings among U.S. adults who typically spend the holidays with their relatives, including: • Of the 86 percent of U.S. adults who typically spend the holidays with their relatives, nearly 39 percent said that having more space, privacy or time for themselves would make the holidays more enjoyable. • Nearly one in four adults (23 percent) said that the ability to stay at a hotel rather than with relatives would help make spending the holidays with relatives more pleasant. • Nearly half (47 percent) of people staying overnight with relatives this holiday season would prefer to stay in a hotel for at least part of their stay. • Hotels may act as a refuge over the holiday season with 40 percent of U.S. adults responding that staying in a hotel while visiting relatives would decrease holiday stress. What about the people actually hosting the holidays? Those who will be hosting relatives ages 21 and older will typically have three adults staying with them. While most (80 percent) enjoy having their relatives stay with them over the holidays, about one in two (49 percent) admit that when their relatives stay in one house for the holidays, it causes a lot of stress. In fact, 36 percent say that they would like their relatives to stay in a hotel for at least part of the time when visiting for the holidays. During the holidays this year, about one in four (26 percent) U.S. adults plan to stay overnight with relatives for at least some of the time, and nearly two in five (38 percent) will have adult relatives over the age of 21 staying with them overnight. That said, U.S. adults felt that the following could put a damper on the holiday season: • Arguing or having stressful moments with relatives (52 percent). • Having to take care of all of the little details like cooking, cleaning, wrapping gifts, etc. (28 percent). • Staying in a cramped living space, like sleeping on the couch, floor or in bunk beds (15 percent). • Hosting too many house guests (14 percent). "There's no doubt that people enjoy getting together with their families and celebrating the holidays," said Kari Swartz, product manager for leisure travel, Expedia.com. "But giving yourself more space and privacy helps to avoid some of the situations that typically cause stress among families over the holiday season. Minimizing stress over the holidays could just be the best present you could give -- and receive -- over this holiday season."