Internet travel service Priceline.com today released the results of its 4th annual survey of the 50 most-popular destinations for the upcoming Independence Day week. The survey is based on more than 30,000 hotel room booking requests made by Priceline.com customers for check-in between June 29 and July 4. Because the survey is based on actual booking activity, and not on consumer preference polls or votes, Priceline.com believes the annual survey is one of the more accurate predictors of July 4th travel trends.
Consistent with last year, Chicago, Las Vegas, and New York City are the most popular spots for the July 4th week, making up the top seven destinations in the list. Chicago’s Millennium Park area has made the #1 spot on the list for the second year running, and the Las Vegas Strip has moved up from spot #5 in 2006 to spot #2 this year. New York neighborhoods took 4 of the top 10 spots, which is consistent with last year’s findings.
Internationally, London grew in popularity this year, taking three spots on the list (#12, #31, #32), compared to only one spot (#35) in 2006. This may be due to the holiday falling mid-week, prompting vacationers to extend their vacations, rather than taking just a long weekend.
For the beach lovers, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Virginia Beach, Myrtle Beach, Hilton Head Island and Key West also round out the list.
The Priceline Top 50 Destinations List for July 4th 2007
1. Chicago, Millennium Park
2. Las Vegas, Strip Vicinity
3. New York City, Upper Midtown
4. Chicago, North Michigan Ave.
5. New York City, SoHo
6. New York City, Midtown East
7. New York City, Midtown West
8. Vancouver
9. San Diego, Coastal
10. Seattle, Downtown
11. Newark, Meadowlands
12. London, Regents Park
13. Oahu, Waikiki Beach
14. Montreal
15. Washington DC, White House/Downtown
16. Niagara Falls, St. Catharines
17. Boston, Downtown/Charlestown
18. Orange County, Disneyland Area
19. Boston, Copley
20. Orlando, Universal Studios/Sea World
21. Las Vegas, Convention Center
22. San Antonio, Downtown/Riverwalk
23. San Francisco, Union Square West
24. San Diego, Downtown/Harbor Island
25. San Francisco, Union Square East
26. San Diego, Point Loma/Shelter Island/Old Town
27. Philadelphia, Downtown
28. Oahu, Waikiki Marina Area
29. Orlando, Disney World Vicinity
30. San Antonio, Medical Center
31. London, Bloomsbury/Marble Arch
32. London, Mayfair/Soho
33. Toronto, Markham
34. San Francisco, Fisherman’s Wharf
35. Puerto Rico, San Juan
36. Los Angeles, Central/Hollywood
37. Virginia Beach
38. Milwaukee, Downtown
39. Myrtle Beach
40. Seattle, Airport Area
41. Hilton Head Island
42. Orange County, Costa Mesa/Irvine
43. Toronto, Downtown
44. San Diego, East County
45. Williamsburg, Williamsburg Historic/Busch Gardens
46. Seattle, Lake Union
47. Key West
48. Las Vegas, West of Strip
49. San Diego, Coronado
50. Los Angeles, LAX Area
Originally posted on June 27, 2007 @ 10:02 am