2012-07-31 — /travelprnews.com/ — Courtyard by Marriott partners with engaged travel bloggers Johnny Jet and Natalie Bahadur to highlight destinations and travel tips for couples
Courtyard by Marriott is encouraging men and women across the U.S. to pack their bags and do something with their significant others that they rarely get a chance to do—take a couple’s leisure getaway.
The first ever Courtyard couple travel survey, conducted by ECHO research, revealed that 25 percent of couples never travel for leisure purposes, and on average, 50 percent only travel together once or twice per year. According to the survey of men and women, almost 70 percent say they don’t go away often enough as a couple, and 87 percent enjoy traveling with their spouse or significant other more than anyone else.
“We all have so many responsibilities in our lives that making time for ourselves and a significant other all too often becomes our last priority,” said Janis Milham, vice president and global brand manager for Courtyard. “Making time for a weekend or overnight getaway to a fun destination can be rejuvenating, and there is no better time than now to find that perfect destination.”
To inspire couples to hit the road more often, Courtyard teamed up with engaged travel bloggers Johnny Jet and Natalie Bahadur to identify top U.S destinations that offer everything couples look for in a leisure destination.
The good news, according to the survey, is both men and women agree on what’s important when on vacation together. Top couples’ priorities include visiting local attractions (56 percent), rejuvenating (39 percent), being romantic (37 percent), developing their relationship (35 percent), eating great new foods (33 percent), and relaxing at their hotel (28 percent).
When asked what they wish their partner would surprise them with away from home, both men and women ranked a fancy dinner out as number one. Following a fancy dinner, men would like to be surprised with catching a pro sporting event or an adventure activity, and women would like to be surprised with a couple’s spa treatment or shopping—although both men and women recognize those activities may not be on top of their partner’s activity wish list.
Based on couples’ travel preferences, Johnny Jet and Bahadur developed a list of 20 well-trodden and off-the-beaten-path locations destined to make for fun and relaxing getaways where couples can discover local treasures, try tasty food, relax, and rekindle their relationships.
“We were very thoughtful in selecting the cities on our list and encourage other couples to explore all they have to offer,” said Johnny Jet. “They offer such a variety of escapes, you can experience something new—whether it’s food, nature, art, or an adventure together.”
Destinations that made the list include Albuquerque, N.M., Boise, Idaho, Cape Cod Hyannis, Mass., Chicago, Ill., Dallas, Texas, Denver, Colo., Erie, Pa., Kaiula-Kona, Hawaii, Key West, Fla., Las Vegas, Nev., Louisville, Ky., Los Angeles, Calif., New Orleans, La., New York City, N.Y., Norwalk, Conn., Oakland, Calif., Savannah, Ga., Seattle, Wash., Scottsdale, Ariz., and Washington, D.C. Find out what makes these destinations unique by downloading 20 Top Leisure Destinations for Couples.
Johnny Jet and Bahadur also have compiled a list of travel tips for couples taking an overdue adventure together. Some of their tips for an unbeatable getaway with your significant other include:
• Communicate—Before hitting the road, discuss goals, interests, and desires for the trip so both parties don’t have unrealistic expectations.
• Laugh—Travel plans can go wrong or change at the drop of a hat. Be prepared for changes in your itinerary, and roll with the punches.
• Relax—Take some time at the hotel to relax, just the two of you. It’s rare to have uninterrupted quiet time, so take advantage of it.
• Forget—Forget about the past and don’t re-hash recurring arguments while away. Similarly, if an argument breaks out on the trip, leave it there, don’t bring it home.
• Patience—Be patient with each other. The trip is about spending time together, not necessarily about sticking to a rigid schedule.
For a full list of Johnny Jet and Bahadur’s destinations and travel tips, please download Tips for a Successful, Rejuvenating Couple’s Getaway. To stay at Courtyard on your next leisure getaway and save up to 20 percent on your room rate, visit https://www.marriott.com/courtyard-hotels/book-early-and-save.mi.
The Courtyard Travel Survey was completed online among a random sample of 1000 U.S. adult couples1 with 722 (couples traveling2 together) qualifying for the travel relating questions. Interviewing was conducted by Echo Research between June 5 and 8, 2012. The results have a margin of error of +/- 3.6 percentage points at the 95 percent level of confidence.
About Courtyard by Marriott
Courtyard by Marriott offers a refreshing environment that helps guests stay connected, productive, and balanced. Intuitive services and design accommodate guests’ needs for choice and control. With more than 900 locations in 37 countries, Courtyard by Marriott hotels participate in the award-winning Marriott Rewards frequent travel program that allows members to earn hotel points or airline miles for every dollar spent during each stay. For more information, go to www.courtyard.com.
Visit Marriott International, Inc. (NYSE: MAR) for company information. For more information or reservations, please visit our website at www.marriott.com, and for the latest company news, visit www.marriottnewscenter.com.
About Echo Research
Echo Research (www.echoresearch.com) has a 23-year track record in communications research – media content analysis, stakeholder evaluation and reputation measurement. As part of the Ebiquity Group (www.ebiquity.com), Echo and Ebiquity are leaders in above- and below-line communications tracking and research, providing independent data-driven insights to the global media, CMO and CCO community to continuously improve clients’ business performance.
Connect with nina.herrera-davila@marriott.com and caitlin.martin@sohosquarepr.com
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