Press Release
September 14, 2001
ORLANDO, FL -- Nearly two-thirds of American travelers, both business and leisure, say their travel plans will
not be deterred by the events in New York and Washington on September 11, according to a nationally-projectible
study issued today by Yesawich, Pepperdine & Brown, one of the leading forecasters of the travel habits, preferences
and intentions of Americans.
Sixty-seven percent of business travelers surveyed said the events on September 11 are not likely to influence
their plans for future business trips. The comparable number for leisure travelers was slightly lower at 63%.
According to the survey, conducted on September 12 and 13, only a third of travelers indicated they will change
their travel plans by canceling a business or leisure trip. International travel is likely to feel the greatest
impact, with half of all business travelers stating they will take fewer overseas business trips. Almost two-thirds
(60%) of leisure travelers expressed the same sentiment.
``The survey results clearly signal that people intend to keep on traveling,'' according to Peter Yesawich, president
and CEO, of Yesawich, Pepperdine & Brown, a marketing services firm that specializes in travel. ``Frankly,
I am very surprised by the results. I thought they would be considerably more negative in light of the tragedy
earlier this week.''
Travel Intentions of Americans
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Business Leisure
-- I will cancel a domestic trip 38 % 35 %
-- I will take fewer international trips 52 % 60 %
-- I will drive, rather than fly, whenever I can 55 % 68 %
Survey respondents who indicated they will not travel as a result of this week's events identified the following destinations to which they would not take a trip:
Destinations to which travelers will not travel on a trip
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For Business For Leisure
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New York 30 % Middle East 33 %
Middle East 28 % New York 25 %
Washington DC 24 % Overseas (general) 17 %
Israel 13 % Washington DC 15 %
Los Angeles 13 % Afghanistan 14 %
The survey, undertaken only hours after the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington, was conducted with 800
adults throughout the United States. The results are nationally projectible with a margin of error of plus or minus
three percent.
Yesawich, Pepperdine & Brown (YP&B) is America's leading marketing, advertising and public relations agency
specializing in serving travel and leisure- industry clients. The company's offices--Orlando, St. Petersburg (Fla.),
Boca Raton (Fla.), New York, Honolulu, Beverly Hills (Calif.), London and Mexico City--serve more than 50 clients
worldwide.
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Contact:
Yesawich, Pepperdine & Brown, Orlando
Will Wellons, 407/838-1794
will_wellons@ypb.com
or Rod Caborn, 407-838-1799
rod_caborn@ypb.com