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CULTURAL ATTRACTION VISITATION UP 2.1% IN 2009 Cultural attraction attendance increased 2.1% in 2009, according to Morey Group’s newly released 2009 Cultural Attraction Attendance Trend Report detailing attendance, membership, and pricing trends in the cultur- al attraction industry. This year’s report is based on a sur- vey of 189 cultural attractions. Additional key findings: General admission attendance – paid attendance excluding school groups and events – increased 2.8%. • Attractions charging less than $10.00 had a total attendance increase of 3.8% and a general admis- sion attendance increase of 3.2%, while those charg- ing $10 or more had a total attendance increase of 1.3% and a general admission attendance increase of 2.6%. • Aquariums, zoos, and children’s museums had the highest percentage increases in both total attendance and general admission attendance. Art museums and sci- ence museums experienced decreases in both areas. • Membership increased by 2.2%. Cultural attraction – membership represented 2.8% of total attendance. • Average adult admission cost was $11.18, up 5.9% from 2008. • Average child admission cost was $7.55, up 6.4% from 2008. “Since museums offer an affordable and high quality experience, cultural attraction visitation usually increases during an economic downturn,” said John Morey, presi- dent of Morey Group. “After the concerning 6.6% drop in 4th quarter attendance in 2008, we are pleased to see this trend of overall growth in 2009.” Morey Group is a national market research and con- sulting firm specializing in cultural attractions. The Cultural Attraction Attendance Trend Report is in its 12th year of publication. The report is provided to participants free of charge and is available for purchase at Morey Group’s website. NEW PORTRAIT OF AMERICAN TRAVELERS REVEALS “STAYCATIONS” ARE ON THE RISE One of the consequences of the Great Recession was the emergence of a new form of leisure travel called a “staycation,” or the propensity of individuals to select a vacation destination closer to home as an alter- native to traveling to a more distant destination, pre- sumably as a result of budgetary constraints at the household level. Last year, research on this “trend” conducted by Ypartnership suggested it was more media myth than reality (fewer than 10% of leisure trav- elers acknowledged they had taken one), yet the results of the new Ypartnership/Harrison Group 2010 Portrait of American Travelers(SM) reveal con- sumers may now, in fact, be taking more such vaca- tions than reported previously. Fully one in four U.S. leisure travelers with an annual household income over $50,000 took at least one overnight leisure trip/vacation within a 50-mile drive radius of their home during the previous 12 months as an alternative to vacationing in a destination that would have required traveling a greater distance. The incidence of taking this type of trip is higher among younger travel- ers (Millennials and GenXers) than older travelers, yet equally evident across all households regardless of their annual household income as revealed below: Incidence of Staycations:* All leisure travelers – 26% Generational group: Millennials (18-30) – 37%; GenXers (31-44) – 31%; Boomers (45-63) - 21%; Matures (64+) – 15% Annual household income: $50-124K – 26%; $125K+ – 26% Children at home – 32% No children at home – 21% * Taken at least one overnight leisure trip within 50 miles of home as an alternative to traveling a greater dis- tance. The “staycation” phenomenon is also most pro- nounced among unrelated adults living together (versus those who are married), and adults with children in resi- dence at home: • 37% of unrelated adults living together took at least one staycation last year, versus 25% of those who are married; • 32% of adults who have children at home took at least one staycation last year, versus only 21% of those with no children at home. These data clearly suggest that the Great Recession has, in fact, increased the incidence of “staycations.” The implication for travel service mar- keters is clear: local and regional markets retain con- siderable potential for generating incremental busi- ness in the year ahead, and this potential is likely to remain robust through the duration of 2010 and well in to 2011. Black Meetings & Tourism May/June 2010: www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 73