US travelers plan to spend 40 more on overseas travel

According to the Global Travel Intentions Study 2013, US travelers plan to significantly increase their travel budget on their next international trip.

Findings revealed that travelers plan to spend 40% more on their next international trip compared to their last trip, opposed to travelers outside the U.S. who plan to increase travel spend by just 4.6%.

More than half of US travelers surveyed plan and book their trips using online review and booking sites and 38% choose destinations rich in cultural experiences.

US travelers are more likely than their global counterparts to use credit cards while traveling internationally (81% versus 74%) and, citing cash as cumbersome to carry around, most bring minimal cash during trips. According to the study, having control over their expenditures and security are the top two reasons why US travelers use cards (70%).

Results show that Americans enjoy treating themselves while on vacation; with dining (29%) and retail (24%) accounting for the majority of travel spends.

US travelers rely heavily on the web for planning their travel (79% versus 71% of international respondents). The differences increase during the booking phase, when Americans are about 20% more likely to use online sources than their global counterparts