NEWTON, Mass., April 10, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- TripAdvisor^®, the world's largest travel site*, today announced the results of its fourth annual vacation rentals survey of more than 1,300 U.S. travelers, predicting increasing demand for rental properties. According to the survey, nearly half (49 percent) of respondents have stayed or are planning to stay in a rental home in 2013, up from 46 percent in 2012 and 40 percent in 2011.

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"The survey results show that rental properties continue to be a very desirable accommodation option among U.S. travelers," said Brooke Ferenscik, director of communications at TripAdvisor. "Whether they are traveling with a large group and want more space and the creature comforts of home or they are planning a romantic retreat with privacy and luxurious amenities in mind, TripAdvisor offers a rich database of more than 300,000 vacation rental listings to help guide them to the best vacation rental for their needs."  

Vacation Rental or a Hotel?
Those who took the survey agreed that vacation rentals can be an excellent alternative to a hotel stay. Respondents cited the following factors as those most likely to sway them toward booking a vacation rental over a hotel:

• Savings (82 percent)
• Last-minute deals (82 percent)
• Traveling with a large group (19 percent)
• More living space (15 percent)
• Booking a trip for one week or longer (11 percent)

Benefits of a Vacation Rental
The survey further revealed that travelers are especially pleased with the unique offerings that vacation rentals often provide. Respondents said they like the following attributes best:

• Access to a full kitchen and/or laundry room (31 percent)
• More living space (27 percent)
• Feels like home (10 percent)
• More family-friendly (10 percent)
• Low prices (seven percent)

Get it Together
Families and group travelers are most drawn to rental homes, citing the above benefits as their biggest motivators. Of those surveyed:

• Seventy-five percent indicate they have shared a rental home with family on past trips
• Sixty-two percent say they choose to stay in a vacation rental property when they are traveling with family or a large group
• When traveling on a family vacation, 89 percent prefer to stay in a vacation rental

Aspirational Escapes
When it comes to dream vacations, respondents revealed a taste for the traditional, citing a beachfront villa (53 percent), mountain cabin (11 percent) and city apartment (10 percent) as the vacation rental types they'd most like to try.  The more unique options of a private castle or private island appeared further down the list.

As for the luxury features often found in vacation rentals, travelers said a private beach would most tempt them to book:

• Private beach (25 percent)
• Amazing view (18 percent)
• Private pool (18 percent)
• Large outdoor deck/patio (11 percent)
• Personal chef (seven percent)

Popular Vacation Spots and Times
Among survey respondents planning a rental stay this year, the most popular U.S. regions are the Southeast (33 percent), followed by the Southwest (16 percent) and the Northeast (12 percent). For travelers that are opting for a vacation rental stay outside the U.S., 62 percent will be vacationing in Europe, 25 percent in the Caribbean and 15 percent in Mexico.

In 2013, 37 percent of survey respondents say they plan to stay at a rental property for at least a week.  Summer is the most popular vacation season, with 54 percent of travelers planning rental home stays between June and August, followed by 41 percent of respondents planning trips this fall (between September to November).

About TripAdvisor           
TripAdvisor^® is the world's largest travel site*, enabling travelers to plan and have the perfect trip. TripAdvisor offers trusted advice from real travelers and a wide variety of travel choices and planning features with seamless links to booking tools. TripAdvisor branded sites make up the largest travel community in the world, with more than 200 million unique monthly visitors**, and over 100 million reviews and opinions. The sites operate in 30 countries worldwide, including China under daodao.com. TripAdvisor also includes TripAdvisor for Business, a dedicated division that provides the tourism industry access to millions of monthly TripAdvisor visitors.

TripAdvisor, Inc. (NASDAQ: TRIP) manages and operates websites under 19 other travel media brands: www.airfarewatchdog.com, www.bookingbuddy.com, www.cruisecritic.com, www.everytrail.com, www.familyvacationcritic.com, www.flipkey.com, www.holidaylettings.co.uk, www.holidaywatchdog.com, www.independenttraveler.com, www.onetime.com, www.seatguru.com, www.sniqueaway.com, www.smartertravel.com, www.tingo.com, www.travel-library.com, www.travelpod.com, www.virtualtourist.com, www.whereivebeen.com, and www.kuxun.cn. 

*Source: comScore Media Metrix for TripAdvisor Sites, worldwide, January 2013

**Source: Google Analytics, worldwide data, January 2013

©2013 TripAdvisor, Inc. All rights reserved. 

SOURCE TripAdvisor